Exam (elaborations)
Astronomy General Relativity Questions and Answers
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Astronomy General Relativity
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Astronomy General Relativityspecial Relativity - answerEinstein's theory of time and space, formulated in 1905, which
shows how
measurements of length and time differ for observers in relative motion. The theory has
two basic propositions: that a spaceship traveling at uniform speed through space
contains its own space-time continuum, and that a ray of light passes an observer at the
speed of light no matter how (uniformly) fast nor in what direction the observer is
traveling. The theory was generalized in 1915 to include gravity (see General Theory of
Relativity).
Principle of Relativity - answerThe core principle of special relativity declaring that all
constant-velocity observers are
subject to an identical set of physical laws and that, therefore, every constant-velocity
observer is justified in claiming to be at rest.
invariance of the speed of light - answerOne of the two key ideas of special relativity,
the principle that every observer in
uniform motion measures the same velocity for light.
inertial reference frame - answerAny reference frame that is not accelerating.
inertial coordinate system - answerA coordinate system in an inertial reference frame.
absolute reference frame - answerThe idea inherent in Galilean mechanics that there is
a preferred frame of reference that
is at absolute rest with respect to the universe.
rest frame - answerA reference frame that is at rest with respect to the observer.
space - answerThe aspect of the universe described by the three-dimensional
coordinates of length,
width and height and explained by means of Euclidean geometry.
time - answerA dimension distinguishing past, present, and future. In relativity, time is
portrayed as a
geometrical dimension, analogous to the dimensions of space.
spacetime - answerThe three physical dimensions of space combined with time and
forming the space-time
continuum that is used as the fundamental framework of the theory of relativity. It can
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