Consider the following phenomena :
- 1. Light is affected by gravity.
- 2. The Universe is constantly expanding.
- 3. Matter warps its surrounding space-time.
Which of the above is/are the prediction/predictions of Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, often discussed in media ?
1 and 2 only
3 only
1 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2018
Statement 2 is correct. While Einstein initially favored a static universe, his field equations in General Relativity allow for dynamic solutions, including an expanding or contracting universe. The observation of the redshift of distant galaxies by Edwin Hubble in the 1920s provided strong evidence for an expanding universe, a phenomenon that is well-described by cosmological models based on General Relativity (like the Friedmann equations). Thus, the theory predicted the possibility of a non-static universe, which aligns with the observed expansion.
Statement 3 is correct. This is the fundamental principle of General Relativity: mass and energy warp the fabric of spacetime around them, and this warping is what we perceive as gravity.