TERM PAPER

ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM

Topic: General theory of Relativity

DOA: 09/01/2010

DOR: 15/10/2010

Submitted to: Submitted by:

Ms. Parminder Kaur Mr. Anuj Gupta

Roll No RG6005B44

Reg No 11009330

Class - B Tech (ECE)

The theory of relativity, or simply relativity, encompasses two theories of Albert Einstein:
special relativity and general relativity. However, the word "relativity" is sometimes used in
reference to Galilean invariance.

The term "theory of relativity" was based on the expression "relative theory" (German:
Relativtheorie) used by Max Planck in 1906, who emphasized how the theory uses the principle
of relativity. The theory of relativity enriched physics and astronomy during the 20th century.
When first published, relativity superseded a 200-year-old theory of mechanics elucidated by
Isaac Newton. It changed perceptions.

For example, it overturned the concept of motion from Newton's day, into all motion is relative.
Time was no longer uniform and absolute, as related to everyday experience. Furthermore, no
longer could physics be understood as space by itself, and time by itself. Instead, an added
dimension had to be taken into account with curved space-time. Time now depended on velocity,
and contraction became a fundamental consequence at appropriate speeds

In the field of microscopic physics, relativity catalyzed and added an essential depth of
knowledge to the science of elementary particles and their fundamental interactions, along with
introducing the nuclear age. With relativity, cosmology and astrophysics predicted extraordinary
astronomical phenomena such as neutron stars, black holes, and gravitational waves.

Two theory view

The theory of relativity was representative of more than a single new physical theory. It affected
the theories and methodologies across all the physical sciences. However, as stated above, this is
more likely perceived as two separate theories. There are some related explanations for this.
First, special relativity was published in 1905, and the final form of general relativity was
published in 1916.

Special relativity
Special relativity is a theory of the structure of spacetime. It was introduced in Albert Einstein's
1905 paper "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" (for the contributions of many other
physicists see History of special relativity). Special relativity is based on two postulates which
are contradictory in classical mechanics:

1. The laws of physics are the same for all observers in uniform motion relative to one
another (principle of relativity),
2. The speed of light in a vacuum is the same for all observers, regardless of their relative
motion or of the motion of the source of the light.
The resultant theory agrees with experiment better than classical mechanics, e.g. in the
Michelson-Morley experiment that supports postulate 2, but also has many surprising
consequences.

The defining feature of special relativity is the replacement of the Galilean transformations of
classical mechanics by the Lorentz transformations. (See Maxwell's equations of
electromagnetism and introduction to special relativity).

General Theory of relativity

Soon after publishing the special theory of relativity in 1905, Einstein started thinking about how
to incorporate gravity into his new relativistic framework. In 1907, beginning with a simple
thought experiment involving an observer in free fall, he embarked on what would be an eight-
year search for a relativistic theory of gravity. After numerous detours and false starts, his work
culminated in the November, 1915 presentation to the Prussian Academy of Science of what are
now known as the Einstein field equations. These equations specify how the geometry of space
and time is influenced by whatever matter is present, and form the core of Einstein's general
theory of relativity. General relativity is a theory of gravitation developed by Einstein in the years
1907–1915. The development of general relativity began with the equivalence principle, under
which the states of accelerated motion and being at rest in a gravitational field (for example
when standing on the surface of the Earth) are physically identical. The upshot of this is that free
fall is inertial motion; an object in free fall is falling because that is how objects move when
there is no force being exerted on them, instead of this being due to the force of gravity as is the
case in classical mechanics. This is incompatible with classical mechanics and special relativity
because in those theories inertially moving objects cannot accelerate with respect to each other,
but objects in free fall do so. To resolve this difficulty Einstein first proposed that spacetime is
curved. In 1915, he devised the Einstein field equations which relate the curvature of spacetime
with the mass, energy, and momentum within it.

Some of the consequences of general relativity are:

 Clocks run more slowly in regions of lower gravitational potentialThis is called

Technically, general relativity is a metric theory of gravitation whose defining feature is its use
of the Einstein field equations. The solutions of the field equations are metric tensors which
define the topology of the spacetime and how objects move inertially.
APPLICATIONS OF THEORY OF RELATIVITY

While the Theory of Relativity has not found as much technological applications as Quantum
Mechanics, it has been used in a variety of fields. More importantly, it has been used to create
devices which would have been impossible previously - things like particles accelerators.

By demonstrating that mass was huge amount of stored energy, Einstein hinted at what could be
achieved by seperating a nucleus and hence the enormous possibilities of Nuclear power, and, of
course, the enormous potential for harm which has resulted.

The General Theory has also provided us with deeper insights into the mechanics of the universe
- the Big Bang theory and Black Holes hint at mysteries as yet unsolved. General Relativity
helps us see what happens in the internal processes of stars, and what happens when they die.

REFERENCES

 allaboutscience.org
 drphysics.com