General Relativity

Question 1

Special relativity deals with motion in

Answer 1

inertial, non-accelerating frames of reference

Question 2

General relativity deals with motion in

Answer 2

non-inertial, accelerating frames of reference

Question 3

Equivalence Principle

Answer 3

That it is not possible to distinguish between the effects on an observer of a uniform gravitational field and of a constant acceleration

Question 4

Spacetime

Answer 4

is a unified representation of three dimensions of space and one dimension of time

Question 5

general relativity leads to the interpretation that

Answer 5

mass curves spacetime and that gravity arises from the curvature of spacetime

Question 6

that light or a freely moving object follows

Answer 6

a geodesic (the path with the shortest distance between the two points) in spacetime

Question 7

World lines

Answer 7

Check Jotter for diagram
a straight upwards line = stationary object
A diagonal straight line upwards = object travelling at a constant speed
A curved line upwards = an accelerating object
the diagonal line going through the origin is the velocity = c

Question 8

That the escape velocity from the event horizon of a black hole is

Answer 8

equal to the speed of light

Question 9

From the perspective of a distant observer, time appears to be

Answer 9

frozen at the event horizon of a black hole

Question 10

The Schwarzschild radius of a black hole is the

Answer 10

distance from its centre (singularity) to its event horizon

Question 11

rsᴄʜᴡᴀʀᴢsᴄʜɪʟᴅ = 2GM/c^2

Answer 11

rsᴄʜᴡᴀʀᴢsᴄʜɪʟᴅ = sᴄʜᴡᴀʀᴢsᴄʜɪʟᴅ radius (m)
G = 6.67x10^-11 (m^3 kg-1 s-2)
c = speed of light 3x10^8
M = mass (kg)

Question 12

Definition of Black Holes

Answer 12

is a region in space where the pull of gravity is so great that NOTHING, not even light can escape its pull. the escape velocity is greater than the speed of light which is impossible to achieve.

Question 13

Evidence for Spacetime warping

Answer 13

Gravitational time dilation
Gravitational Lensing
Precession of mercury’s orbit

Question 14

Evidence of black holes

Answer 14

Emission of X-Rays
Gravitational Lensing
Binary x-ray systems

Question 15

Clocks run at different speeds at different altitudes these are

Answer 15

Lower altitude = more affected by space-time curvature thus running slower
Higher altitude = less affected by space-time curvature thus running faster

Question 16

Solar masses =

Answer 16

the mass of the sun

2.0x10^30

Question 17

how does the equivalence principle explain weightlessness?

Answer 17

The effects of gravity are exactly equivalent to the
effects of acceleration.

Plane and passengers are falling at the same rate
due to the gravitational field