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I have always been wondering whether GR is generally, see what I did there :), more important in terms of science than special relativity.
Sorry, I didn't phrase that correctly - did General relativity have more of an impact on science than special relativity?jtbell said:More important in what way?
As the names suggest, GR expands on/supersedes SR.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.
It depends on the context and the specific field of study. In general relativity, gravity is described as the curvature of spacetime, while special relativity deals with the laws of physics in inertial frames of reference. Both theories are important and have their own applications in different areas of physics.
Special relativity was developed by Albert Einstein in 1905, while general relativity was published in 1915. So, SR came first, but GR is considered to be a more advanced and complete theory.
There have been attempts to unify these two theories, such as the Kaluza-Klein theory and string theory. However, a complete and accepted theory of quantum gravity that unifies GR and SR has not been achieved yet.
The main difference between GR and SR is that special relativity deals with objects moving at constant speeds in flat spacetime, while general relativity includes the effects of gravity and describes the curvature of spacetime caused by massive objects.
General relativity has practical applications in satellite navigation systems, such as GPS, as well as in the prediction of astronomical phenomena, such as the bending of light by massive objects. However, for most daily activities, special relativity is more relevant, as it deals with the laws of physics in our everyday lives.