General Question about Einstein's Theories.

[Glenn]

Which, if any, of Einsteins models and theories have been replaced by more advanced or precise ones?

The only thing that comes to mind was Einstein's "greatest blunder", the cosmological constant. But hasn't that even found its was back into the equations?

Thanks,
Glenn

 

[mathman]

General Relativity is still the accepted model for describing gravity, even though physicists have known for quite a while that GR and quantum theory are incompatable when they both must be used (big bang, black holes).

A few years ago (1998) it was discovered that the universe expansion is accelerating. One current theory (most widely accepted, but still quite tentative) is that it is due to "dark energy" which is associated with the cosmological constant.

 

[VantagePoint72]

Einstein's theories haven't been replaced by anything, they've just been incorporated into larger theories. For example, superstring theory is a theory that attempts to merge general relativity with quantum mechanics. It's still the same old theory of relativity, only set in a new framework. I think "replaced" is tricky word in physics. True, there are exceptions- I wouldn't hesitate to say heliocentrism replaced geocentrism, though that falls more under the field of astronomy- even so, to me it seems as if for the most part established theories don't just get thrown out. They're expanded and modified, but rarely are they completely abandoned.

 

[Taoist]

I agree! Einstein theorem's will be used within specific applications probably forever. There are some who just need to know and will be in a continuous search for that simple equation and are trying to bridge the gap between quantum mechanics and relativity. One speaks well to particle prediction and not the other. Hence the mirrors or dark matter by Hawkins.