tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1195329121901897762.post4910857100946113997..comments2023-10-27T00:50:43.562-07:00Comments on Physics for my Mom: Newton's theory of gravity (part 1)Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07207142714575405001noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1195329121901897762.post-60505259548659577762010-02-26T16:04:05.892-08:002010-02-26T16:04:05.892-08:00The oldest experimental example of problems with N...The oldest experimental example of problems with Newtonian gravity is probably the precession of the orbit of Mercury around the sun. The point of closest approach in the orbit is called the "perihelion." Each time Mercury undergoes a full orbit, the perihelion has moved slightly. It's sort of like a clock, in that each time the minute hands go all the way around, the hour hand is now pointing to a slightly different location. <br /><br />While some of this precession is caused by the other planets, part of it is not; this inconsistency was solved by Einstein's extension of Newtonian gravity, which postulates that spacetime is curved by massive objects. <br /><br />Other examples include the fact that very massive objects (like black holes or large galaxy clusters) actually bend light, acting like lenses. This would not happen in classical, Newtonian gravity, but occurs naturally in General Relativity.Hughhttp://physicsformom.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1195329121901897762.post-88071400729814176782010-02-21T17:58:33.030-08:002010-02-21T17:58:33.030-08:00How specifically does newton's theory of gravi...How specifically does newton's theory of gravity breaks down when you look close? Is there a breif non-technical explination?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1195329121901897762.post-83447280789170392972009-04-18T11:10:00.000-07:002009-04-18T11:10:00.000-07:00That is not to say I do not like the illustrations...That is not to say I do not like the illustrations, particularly in this blog, which clarified things tremendously. By the way, you are not just my favorite but my ONLY son. <br />Each blog seems to contain an enormous amount of information. I like their length, but they are very "packed," and sometimes I feel my brain cannot absorb them all. Re-reading them all together later will be very enlightening. My observations you may note are not very scientific or related to your material. But I am a writer, not a scientist, and I feel we are leading up to something exciting.Momnoreply@blogger.com