1.
[syn: general relativity, general theory of relativity, general relativity theory, Einstein's general theory of relativity]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
relativity \rel`a*tiv"i*ty\ (-t?v"?-t?), n.
1. The state of being relative; as, the relativity of a
subject. --Coleridge.
[1913 Webster]
2. One of two theories (also called theory of relativity)
proposed by Albert Einstein, the special theory of
relativity, or the general theory of relativity. The
special theory of relativity or special relativity is
based on the proposition that the speed of light is a
constant no matter how observed, and is independent of the
motion of the observer. From this follows several
principles, such as the increase of mass with velocity
(which has been confirmed: see relativistic mass
equation) and the impossibility of acceleration to a
speed greater than that of light; the equivalence of mass
and energy, expressed by the famous equation E = mc^2;
and time dilation, which is the apparent slowing of a
clock in a system, as observed by an observer in a system
moving relative to the clock. The general theory of
relativity is based on the proposition that there is no
physical difference between gravitational force and the
force produced by acceleration. From this follow several
results, of which the bending of light rays in a
gravitational field and the equivalence of the inertial
and gravitational masses have been verified. The possible
existence of black holes (believed by many astronomers
to have been adequately proven) is another consequence of
the theory.
[PJC]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
general theory of relativity
n 1: a generalization of special relativity to include gravity
(based on the principle of equivalence) [syn: general
relativity, general theory of relativity, general
relativity theory, Einstein's general theory of
relativity]