Gravity and the Centrifugal Force

NOTES

I have to add that recognition of gravity as a fictitious force was a big step towards Einstein's theory of general relativity. When he formulated the Equivalence Principle, that local physical phenomenon can not distinguish between acceleration and gravity, he could immediately use special relativity to make predictions about gravity, such as gravitational red-shift and the fact that gravity will bend light (though by using only the equivalence principle, Einstein initially calculated the wrong amount of bending).

Figuring out the rest of the theory (including the correct amount of bending) took a lot more work and time.

Back to the bead on a wire, now that we can talk freely about forces due to spinning, without bothering with terms like "effect" or "pseudoforce".

Pages