Black Holes & Co. / Elementary tour: Conclusion
In the physics of neutron stars and black holes, we clearly see the central role of general relativity in modern astrophysics. Relativistic physics is necessary to fully understand the most energetic phenomena in the universe - from supernova explosions of ...
General relativity / Elementary Tour: Conclusion
The aim of this chapter was to give the reader a basic idea of what general relativity is all about. Einstein's theory of gravity led physicists to a variety of new models and phenomena. The most important examples - gravitational waves, black holes, the ...
General relativity / Elementary Tour part 1: Einstein’s geometric gravity
The key idea of Einstein's theory of general relativity is that gravity is not an ordinary force, but rather a property of spacetime geometry. The following simplified analogy, which substitutes a two-dimensional surface for four-dimensional spacetime, serves ...
General relativity / Elementary Tour part 2: The cosmic dance
In this new picture, there is no gravitational force that masses exert on other masses. Instead, there are spacetime distortions. Spacetime in the presence of a mass is curved. In flat, empty spacetime, small test particles follow straight lines. However, ...
