Principle Of Equivalence (Noun)
Meaning
(physics) the principle that an observer has no way of distinguishing whether his laboratory is in a uniform gravitational field or is in an accelerated frame of reference.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- The principle of equivalence states that the effects of gravity are equivalent to the effects of acceleration, and that it is impossible to distinguish between the two.
- According to the principle of equivalence, an observer in a closed laboratory cannot determine whether the laboratory is at rest in a uniform gravitational field or is accelerating uniformly in the absence of gravity.
- The principle of equivalence is a fundamental concept in general relativity, allowing physicists to describe the curvature of spacetime in terms of gravitational fields.
- The principle of equivalence implies that all objects fall at the same rate in a uniform gravitational field, regardless of their mass or composition.
- Einstein's theory of general relativity relies heavily on the principle of equivalence, which provides a mathematical framework for understanding the behavior of objects in gravitational fields.