General Relativity and Black Holes

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary related to the general theory of relativity and black holes, based on the provided lecture notes.

General Theory of Relativity

Einstein's theory that describes gravity as the curvature of spacetime caused by mass.

Equivalence Principle

The principle stating that gravitational free-fall is indistinguishable from inertial motion in the absence of gravity.

Schwarzschild Radius

The radius at which the escape velocity from a black hole equals the speed of light; marks the event horizon.

Gravitational Time Dilation

The phenomenon where time runs slower in stronger gravitational fields compared to weaker fields.

Gravitational Lensing

The bending of light caused by the gravitational field of a massive object.

Black Hole

A region in space where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it.

Matter and Spacetime

The concept that the presence of mass warps the fabric of spacetime, affecting the motion of objects.

Pulsar

A highly magnetized rotating neutron star that emits beams of electromagnetic radiation.

Deflection of Light

A phenomenon predicted by general relativity where light curves as it passes near a massive object.

Spaghettification

The process where objects are stretched and compressed into long strands when approaching a black hole.