Commonly Asked Questions in Physics

Chapter 9

Relativity

Relativity is one of the most important and fascinating fields of study within physics. It’s generally split into two subfields—special relativity and general relativity—both of which were developed by Albert Einstein in the early twentieth century. Relativity accounts for how events are viewed from different frames of reference, when those frames of reference are moving with respect to one another or in strong gravitational fields. It also accounts for how light will appear to observers in different frames of reference. Many of the effects predicted by the theory of relativity are contrary to the predictions of classical physics and to perceptions based on everyday experience. These striking and sometimes shocking predictions ...