General Relativity Simplified & Assessed

Preface Table of Contents Nomenclature Preliminaries Synopsis about Gravity and General Relativity Historical Issues and Credits General Terminology General Conventions, Notations and Remarks Classical Gravity Planetary Motion General Relativity versus Classical Gravity General Relativity versus Special Relativity General Principles The Principle of Invariance The Principle of Equivalence The Principle of Correspondence Other Principles Criteria of Scientific Theory Reading Too Much in the Equations Mathematical Background Space, Coordinate System and Transformation Tensors Curvature of Space Variational Principle and Euler-Lagrange Equation Metric Tensor Metric Tensor of 4D Spacetime of General Relativity Christoffel Symbols Tensor Differentiation Parallel Transport Geodesic Path Geodesic Path in 2D Spaces Geodesic Equation from Straightness Geodesic Equation from Variational Principle Geodesic Equation from Parallel Transport Geodesic Equation Riemann-Christoffel Curvature Tensor Ricci Curvature Tensor Ricci Curvature Scalar Einstein Tensor Energy-Momentum Tensor Formalism of General Relativity Rationale of the Field Equation The Field Equation of General Relativity The Field Equation with Cosmological Constant The Linearized Field Equation General Relativity as Gravity Theory and as General Theory Solutions of the Field Equation Schwarzschild Solution Derivation of Schwarzschild Metric Geodesic Equation in Schwarzschild Metric Kerr Solution Reissner-Nordstrom Solution Kerr-Newman Solution Classical Limit of General Relativity Convergence to Newtonian Gravity Planetary Motion Frames, Coordinates and Spacetime Frames in General Relativity Coordinates in General Relativity Time in Schwarzschild Spacetime Relation between Coordinate Time and Proper Time Interpretation of Coordinate Time Gravitational Time Dilation Gravitational Frequency Shift Comparison with Classical Mechanics and Special Relativity Length in Schwarzschild Spacetime Relation between Spatial Coordinates and Proper Length Interpretation of Spatial Coordinates Gravitational Length Contraction Comparison with Classical Mechanics and Special Relativity General Relativity and Absolute Frame Absolute Frame and Mach Principle Physics of General Relativity Coordinates of Spacetime Time Interval and Length Frequency Mass Velocity, Speed and Acceleration Force Momentum Energy and Work Conservation Principles Orbital Motion in Terms of Constants of Motion Effective Potential in Orbital Motion Radial Trajectories in Spacetime Geodesic Deviation Consequences and Predictions Perihelion Precession of Mercury Light Bending by Gravity Gravitational Time Dilation Gravitational Frequency Shift Gravitational Length Contraction Gravitational Waves Black Holes Schwarzschild Black Holes Kerr Black Holes Hawking Radiation Geodetic Effect Frame Dragging Wormholes and Other Fantasies Cosmological Predictions Tests of General Relativity Perihelion Precession of Mercury Light Bending by Gravity Gravitational Time Dilation Hafele-Keating Experiment Shapiro Time Delay Test Gravity Probe A Global Positioning System Gravitational Frequency Shift Gravitational Red Shift from Astronomical Observations Pound-Rebka Experiment Gravity Probe A Gravitational Length Contraction Gravitational Waves Indirect Observation of Gravitational Waves Direct Observation of Gravitational Waves Black Holes Geodetic Effect Precession of ``Moon-Earth Gyroscope'' in Motion around Sun Gravity Probe B Frame Dragging LAGEOS Satellites Gravity Probe B Wormholes and Other Fantasies Cosmological Predictions Tests of the Equivalence Principle Tests of Special Relativity Circumstantial Evidence Evidence for Newtonian Gravity Final Assessment Evidence against General Relativity Challenges and Assessment Challenges and Criticisms Limitations and Failures of the Equivalence Principle Necessity of Metaphysical Elements Creation Theory Dependence on Special Relativity Triviality of General Invariance Interpretation of Coordinates Strong Dependency of Physical Results on Coordinate System Local Relativity Nonsensical Consequences and Predictions Incompatibility with Quantum Mechanics Gaps, Ambiguities and Question Marks Over-Mathematization of Physics Violation of Sacred Rules Circularity Using Einstein Tensor to Represent Curvature Ambiguity of Vacuum Equation Need for Classical Gravity Failure of Geodesic to Replace Force Limitation of Evidence Absurdities and Paradoxes The Paradox of Absolute Frame and Reality of Spacetime Constancy, Invariance and Ultimacy of the Speed of Light Lack of Practicality and Realism Limited Usefulness Overall Assessment Geometric Nature of General Relativity High Complexity Highly Theoretical Nature Publicizing and Politicizing Science Controversies, Conflicts and Uncertainties Practical Value Theoretical Value Epilogue References Index Author Notes