Topics

Theories of Relativity ‰Relativity principle

(General Theory of Relativity) ‰Equivalence principle
‰Light path as absolute
How does relativity treat accelerated ‰Consequences
frames of reference?

Albert Einstein
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Postulates of the General Theory of Relativity General relativity principle

‰General principle of relativity The laws of physics must be the same for two
‰Equivalence principle* observers that are moving “smoothly”
‰Principle of general covariance together (accelerated or not).
‰Others:
Electromagnetics
z Inertial motion is geodesic motion
Optics
z Local Lorentz invariance
Mechanics
z Space-time can be curved
Statistical Physics
z Stress-energy creates curved space-time
Thermodynamics
* Not fundamental; Beginning of development. …all the same!
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Equivalence principle* Equivalence principle

Inertial and gravitational masses are identical.
– Isaac Newton

[There is a] complete physical equivalence of a

gravitational field and a corresponding
acceleration of the reference system.
– Albert Einstein (1907)

*Turns out to be rather a consequence of more fundamental principles.

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 Light path as absolute Light path as absolute

The path of light will appear

to be bent when the frame
of reference is
accelerated.

The same light should be

bent by gravitational field.

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Light path as absolute Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity

The path of light determines the “geometry” of ‰EM waves (light) are bent by gravity
space-time. ‰Gravitational time dilation
‰Gravitational redshift
‰Shapiro effect (signal travel delay)
‰Blackholes
‰Orbital effects
‰Expansion of space-time and “big bang”

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Consequence of the General Theory of Relativity Consequence of the General Theory of Relativity
Gravity bends light

Gravitational lensing
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 Consequence of the General Theory of Relativity Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity
Einstein’s rings ‰Gravitational time dilation
Simulation showing zoom in to an area with
intense gravity field.

Time slows down in regions

with high gravitational fields.

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Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity
‰Gravitational time dilation experiment
Time slows down in regions
with high gravitational fields.

Science 177 p 168-170 (1972)

Science 177 p 168-170 (1972) (from two articles)
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Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity
Experiment was done again, 25 years later in UK ‰Gravitational redshift
Results:
• The combined flight times of 14 hours and mean height in excess of 10
km resulted in a predicted clock gain of 53 ns. This followed the principle
that a clock in a weaker gravitational field (higher altitude) will run faster.
• The effect of the aircraft's speed relative to the Earth's surface resulted in
a predicted clock loss of 16.1 ns. This followed the principle that a moving
clock runs slow. redshift from a neutron star
(schematic representation)

The wavelength of EM waves

Experiment: 39.0ns±2.0ns becomes longer as it propagates
Predicted: 39.8ns
towards lower gravitational fields.

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 Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity
‰Gravitational redshift ‰Shapiro effect (signal travel delay)
Pound-Rebka experiment
(1959-1960)
Pound-Snider (1964)
Signal path with sun is longer.
Signal path without sun

Confirmed GR predictions
within 1% accuracy.
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Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity
‰Blackholes
XTE J1118+480

XTE J1118+480 Orbital path of black-hole microquasar XTE J1118+480,

over the past 230 million years.

Good info: http://hubblesite.org/discoveries/black_holes/modules.html

21 http://www.nrao.edu/pr/2001/blackhole/highvbh.graphics.html 22

Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity
‰Orbital effects ‰Solar objects with precession anomaly

Observed precession:
5600 arc-seconds per century

Newton’s predictions
2-body: 5025 arc-seconds per century
N-body: 5557 arc-seconds

Anomaly: 43 arc-seconds per century

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 Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity
‰Expansion of the space-time (“big bang”) ‰Proof of expansion of the space-time

The entire space-time is expanding.

The universe is expanding.

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Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity
‰Proof of expansion of the space-time ‰Proof of expansion of the space-time

Hubble, E., A relation between distance and radial velocity among Mould, J.R. et al., The velocity field of clusters of galaxies within 100
extra-galactic nebulae, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 15:168–173, 1929 27
megaparsecs. I. Southern clusters, Astrophysical J. 383:467–486, 1991 28

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map.gsfc.nasa.gov 31 32

Consequences of the General Theory of Relativity Extra-terrestrial planets

‰Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) ‰Next meeting

cooler
warmer

http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/ polarization direction 33 34

Quiz (1/4 pc of paper)

1. State the general principle of relativity.

2. & 3. Give two of the many possible

consequences of the general theory of
relativity.

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