About
Albert Einstein's special theory of relativity (1905) and general theory of relativity (1915) revolutionized physics. Special relativity showed that the speed of light is constant for all observers; as a consequence, time dilates and length contracts at high speeds, and mass and energy are equivalent (E=mc²). General relativity described gravity not as a force but as the curvature of spacetime caused by mass.
General relativity predicted black holes, gravitational lensing, gravitational waves, and the expansion of the universe — all subsequently confirmed. The GPS system requires relativistic corrections to work accurately. Einstein's theories have been tested to extraordinary precision and have passed every experimental challenge.
# Top 10 Theory of Relativity facts
- 1GPS satellites require corrections for both special and general relativity — without them, GPS would drift by 11km per day
- 2E=mc² means 1 gram of matter contains 90 trillion joules of energy — equivalent to 21 kiloton nuclear bomb
- 3Einstein's 1905 'miracle year' saw him publish four groundbreaking papers — on special relativity, photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, and mass-energy equivalence
Fascinating Facts
- ◆GPS satellites require corrections for both special and general relativity — without them, GPS would drift by 11km per day
- ◆E=mc² means 1 gram of matter contains 90 trillion joules of energy — equivalent to 21 kiloton nuclear bomb
- ◆Einstein's 1905 'miracle year' saw him publish four groundbreaking papers — on special relativity, photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, and mass-energy equivalence
More in Science4 related
4
Science
Black Holes
The most extreme objects in the universe, where physics itself breaks down.
Interest95/100
3
Science
DNA Discovery
The double helix: discovering life's blueprint changed everything.
Interest94/100
36
Science
Evolution
Darwin's theory of natural selection explains the diversity of all life on Earth.
Interest82/100
37
Science
The Big Bang
The birth of the universe — from a hot, dense singularity to 13.8 billion years of cosmic evolution.
Interest81/100