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The '''General Theory of Relativity''' is an extension of [[Special theory of relativity|Special Relativity]], dealing with curved coordinate systems, accelerating frames of reference, curvilinear motion, and curvature of spacetime itself.  It could be said that General Relativity is to Special Relativity as vector calculus is to vector algebra.  General Relativity is best known for its formulation of gravity as a [[fictitious force]] arising from the curvature of spacetime.  In fact, "General Relativity" and "Einstein's formulation of gravity" are nearly synonymous in many people's minds.

The '''General Theory of Relativity''' is an extension of [[Special theory of relativity|special relativity]], dealing with curved coordinate systems, accelerating frames of reference, curvilinear motion, and curvature of spacetime itself.  It could be said that general relativity is to special relativity as vector calculus is to vector algebra.  General relativity is best known for its formulation of gravity as a [[fictitious force]] arising from the curvature of spacetime.  In fact, "general relativity" and "Einstein's formulation of gravity" are nearly synonymous in many people's minds.

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

The general theory of elativity was first published by [[Albert Einstein]] in 1916.

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.  No encyclopedia article can 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.  No encyclopedia article can 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>