GE CLST 70A Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Cosmological Constant, Quantum Mechanics, Equivalence Principle
13 Oct 2016
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Observer can"t distinguish their environment from an extremely distant inertial environment. No local experiment can distinguish between constant acceleration and affects of gravity. If a ship accelerates, each pulse will be met sooner than a stationary spaceship. Two flashing lights at top and on bottom, person on the bottom will see more flashes and they will disagree on the second goes by. Time runs slower at the bottom of accelerating rocket ship than op top. Per year, 5 years over solar system"s history. Gravity causes a distortion in space and time. Trying to move in a straight line at constant speed in a curved space can make objects converge. Near a massive object, the radius get more contracted. Masses follow local space-time coordinates a straightest possible line (geodesic path) Clocks run slower closer to a massive object. Distances in radial direction are contracted by massive object. Objects follow the straightest paths through curved pace-time.
