Apsidal Precession - General Relativity

General Relativity

An apsidal precession of the planet Mercury was noted by Urbain Le Verrier in the mid-19th century and accounted for by Einstein's theory of general relativity. To first approximation, this theory adds a central force that varies as the inverse fourth power of the distance.

Read more about this topic:  Apsidal Precession

Famous quotes containing the words general and/or relativity:

    However energetically society in general may strive to make all the citizens equal and alike, the personal pride of each individual will always make him try to escape from the common level, and he will form some inequality somewhere to his own profit.
    Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)

    By an application of the theory of relativity to the taste of readers, to-day in Germany I am called a German man of science, and in England I am represented as a Swiss Jew. If I come to be regarded as a bĂȘte noire the descriptions will be reversed, and I shall become a Swiss Jew for the Germans and a German man of science for the English!
    Albert Einstein (1879–1955)