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The General Theory of Relativity was first published by [[Albert Einstein]] in 1916.

The General Theory of Relativity was first published by [[Albert Einstein]] in 1916.

General Relativity, like [[Quantum Mechanics]] (the other of the two theories comprising "modern physics") both hav reputations for being notoriously complicated and difficult to understand.  In fact, in the early decades of the 20^th century, General Relativity had a sort of cult status in this regard.  General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics are both advanced college-level and postgraduate level topics.  Conservapedia can't really explain either of them fully.  But, in the article below, we will attempt to give a rough outline of the General Relativistic formulation of gravity.

General Relativity, like [[Quantum Mechanics]] (the other of the two theories comprising "modern physics") both have reputations for being notoriously complicated and difficult to understand.  In fact, in the early decades of the 20^th century, General Relativity had a sort of cult status in this regard.  General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics are both advanced college-level and postgraduate level topics.  Conservapedia can't really explain either of them fully.  But, in the article below, we will attempt to give a rough outline of the General Relativistic formulation of gravity.

 

The general theory of relativity is a ''metric theory,'' sometimes also called a ''geometric theory.'' Metric theories describe physical phenomena in terms of [[differential geometry]]. This stands in contrast to Isaac Newton's [[Law of Universal Gravitation|law of universal gravitation]], which described gravity in terms of a [[vector field]].  In the case of general relativity, the theory relates ''stress-energy'' — an extension of the concept of [[mass]] — and the [[curvature]] of [[spacetime]]. In the words of physicist John Wheeler, "Space tells matter how to move, matter tells space how to curve."<ref>Misner, Thorne & Wheeler. ''Gravitation.'' (1973)</ref>

The general theory of relativity is a ''metric theory,'' sometimes also called a ''geometric theory.'' Metric theories describe physical phenomena in terms of [[differential geometry]]. This stands in contrast to Isaac Newton's [[Law of Universal Gravitation|law of universal gravitation]], which described gravity in terms of a [[vector field]].  In the case of general relativity, the theory relates ''stress-energy'' — an extension of the concept of [[mass]] — and the [[curvature]] of [[spacetime]]. In the words of physicist John Wheeler, "Space tells matter how to move, matter tells space how to curve."<ref>Misner, Thorne & Wheeler. ''Gravitation.'' (1973)</ref>