History of general relativity

The development of Einstein’s theory of gravity, from its 1915 formulation through experimental tests, mathematical extensions, and influence on modern physics.

Albert Einstein: A theoretical physicist who developed special and general relativity and made foundational contributions to quantum theory. Einstein formulated general relativity after years of seeking a relativistic account of gravity.
Mercury's perihelion precession: The gradual rotation of Mercury’s orbital ellipse, including a small residual advance unexplained by Newtonian gravity. General relativity accounted for the residual advance that had resisted a Newtonian explanation.
Einstein field equations: Equations relating spacetime curvature to the distribution of matter and energy. Einstein’s 1915 field equations are the central mathematical statement of the theory.
Friedmann equations: Equations governing the expansion of homogeneous and isotropic universes in general relativity. They showed that Einstein’s equations permit expanding or contracting universes.
Newtonian gravity: A theory in which masses attract through a force governed by Newton’s law of universal gravitation. General relativity replaces its instantaneous force picture with dynamical spacetime curvature.
Equivalence principle: The principle that, locally, gravitational effects are indistinguishable from acceleration in a suitable reference frame. Einstein’s insight into free fall supplied the physical starting point for the theory.
1919 solar eclipse: A solar eclipse expedition that measured the apparent positions of stars near the eclipsed Sun. Its reported light-deflection measurements made Einstein and general relativity internationally famous.
Stress–energy tensor: A tensor describing the density and flow of energy, momentum, and stress in spacetime. It supplies the matter-and-energy side of Einstein’s field equations.
Big Bang cosmology: The cosmological model in which the observable universe evolved from a much hotter, denser early state. Relativistic cosmological solutions became the framework for describing the universe’s expansion.
Whitehead theory of gravity: A relativistic theory of gravity proposed by Alfred North Whitehead in 1922 as an alternative to general relativity. Its historical competition illustrates why matching a few classic tests did not uniquely establish Einstein’s theory.

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