Einstein’s theory of relativity: A deep dive into modern physics – part I

Modern physics stands on two pillars: Einstein’s theory of relativity and the Standard Model of particle physics.

In this two -part article, we break down these pillars of modern physics and gain a deeper understanding of why they are so integral in science today .

In part one, we will focus on the theories of relativity.

In 1915 , Einstein published his theory of general relativity, a theory of gravitation.

The Equivalence Principle is a cornerstone of Einstein ’s theory of relativity.

It says the effects of gravity are indistinguishable from those of acceleration for an observer in a small region of spacetime.

This led Einstein to explore the idea that gravity may not be a force in the traditional sense of pulling or pushing of objects.

He also introduced the concept of geodesics, a path along which an object moves in curved spacetime, and this is the shortest path in curved space.

Einstein’s theories of relativity have revolutionized our understanding of spacetime and gravity, paving the way for discoveries and technology. Despite its overall success, the theory has some limitations under extreme conditions. For example, Einstein ’s field equations break down at singularities, regions in spacetime where the gravitational force is infinite, such as at the center of black holes and the Big Bang . Additionally, they still need to fully integrate with the Standard Model , leaving the quest for a Unified Theory of Everything open..