Chapter 8

The Masterwork

By Laura Hicks, Kayla Simonson-Kowvitz, and Lauren Justice

Introduction: The general theory of relativity created by Einstein is believed to have been his greatest achievement. The theory crossed the boundaries created by the conflicts of World War I by intriguing scientists all over Europe and led Einstein to the level of international fame. Chapter 8 discusses the growth of Einstein’s special theory of relativity into the general theory and the lasting effects these theories had on science.

• Einstien published his special theory of relativity in 1907. This theory described the predictive movements of things which traveled in straight lines at constant speeds.
• However the special theory of relativity was created with one major flaw. It did not include a description of gravity.
• In 1908 Minkowsti’s goemetrisation of the special theory was published. This theory contained what Einstein’s theory needed to become the general theory of relativity. But even then Einstein did not accept Minkowski’s ideas.
• Einstein took a three year from developing his work on special relativity to teach.
• Beginning in 1908 Einstein took a three year break from his work on the special theory of relativity to teach.
• In 1912 Einstein went to work on incorporating gravity into his theory with the help of his friend Marcel Grossman. With Grossman’s knowledge of geometry and Einstein’s further applications of calculus, a description and use of four-dimensional spacetime was created thus leading to the completed theory of general relativity.
• Einstein’s theory of general relativity was published in 1916. This theory provided the best known descrition of gravity.
• The new theory explained curved paths as the result of gravity. A body only follows the path of least resistance. Such a path may curve because of gravitational pull.
• The theory went through a series of tests but was never disproven. In 1919 the solar eclipse proved that light could show through a curved line when Arthur Eddington discovered stars appeared to be present where they were not.
• Einstein’s general theory of relativity catalyzed further research on black holes, pulsars, spacetime distortion and the origins of the universe (Although Einstien was not aware of this, his theory went on to prove the universe was indeed expanding thus supporting the Big Bang Theory).