How Einstein believed that space is curved?

[FrancisClinton]

It took einstein 4 years to complete his general theory of relativity but the fundamental idea behind this work is that he believed that space is curved , how he is sure about this idea from the beginning ?

 

[phinds]

It took einstein 4 years to complete his general theory of relativity but the fundamental idea behind this work is that he believed that space is curved , how he is sure about this idea from the beginning ?

What do you mean "sure about this idea from the beginning"? How do you know he was sure about it from the beginning?

 

[FrancisClinton]

just asking what made him to believe in this idea " space is curved"

 

[bcrowell]

He explained this in very clear and nontechnical language in the introduction to his paper on GR:

The foundation of the general theory of relativity
A. Einstein, Annalen der Physik 49 (1916) 769.

You can find English translations online, e.g., in the back of this book: http://www.lightandmatter.com/genrel/