Quote: coordinate systems for inertial systems and uniformly accelerated systems or gravitational systems are physically equivalent; makes general relativity much better than classical mechanics

Quotation

The assumption of the complete physical equivalence of the system of coordinates, K [an inertial system] and K' [either uniformly accelerated with respect to K, or at rest under a gravitation field], we call the "principle of equivalence;" this principle is evidently intimately connected with the law of the equality of the inert and gravitational mass, and signifies an extension of the principle of relativity to co-ordinate systems which are in non-uniform motion relatively to each other. ... The possibility of explaining the numerical equality of inertia and gravitation by the unity of their nature gives to the general theory of relativity, according to my conviction, such a superiority over the conceptions of classical mechanics, that all the difficulties encountered must be considered as small in comparison to this progress.   Google-1   Google-2

Published before 1923

Related Topics

Topic: general relativity (47 items)