GR vs SR: Which Theory Reigns Supreme in the Scientific World?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lunct
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Gr Important Sr
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the comparative importance of General Relativity (GR) and Special Relativity (SR) in the field of science. It highlights that while GR expands upon and supersedes SR, GR is crucial for applications like GPS accuracy, which relies on a solid understanding of gravity. However, in practical terms, SR is more frequently utilized by scientists and engineers in everyday scenarios. The conversation emphasizes the distinct roles both theories play in scientific advancement and their applications in technology.
Lunct
Messages
133
Reaction score
16
I have always been wondering whether GR is generally, see what I did there :), more important in terms of science than special relativity.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
More important in what way?
 
jtbell said:
More important in what way?
Sorry, I didn't phrase that correctly - did General relativity have more of an impact on science than special relativity?
 
Lunct said:
I have always been wondering whether GR is generally, see what I did there :), more important in terms of science than special relativity.
As the names suggest, GR expands on/supersedes SR.
 
GPS wouldn't be very accurate without a good theory of gravity. However, in the day to day life of scientists and engineers, SR definitely gets more use.
 
Similar to the 2024 thread, here I start the 2025 thread. As always it is getting increasingly difficult to predict, so I will make a list based on other article predictions. You can also leave your prediction here. Here are the predictions of 2024 that did not make it: Peter Shor, David Deutsch and all the rest of the quantum computing community (various sources) Pablo Jarrillo Herrero, Allan McDonald and Rafi Bistritzer for magic angle in twisted graphene (various sources) Christoph...
Thread 'My experience as a hostage'
I believe it was the summer of 2001 that I made a trip to Peru for my work. I was a private contractor doing automation engineering and programming for various companies, including Frito Lay. Frito had purchased a snack food plant near Lima, Peru, and sent me down to oversee the upgrades to the systems and the startup. Peru was still suffering the ills of a recent civil war and I knew it was dicey, but the money was too good to pass up. It was a long trip to Lima; about 14 hours of airtime...
Back
Top