Directory of Experiment and Observation Resources

Home > Science > Physics > Relativity > Experiment and Observation

Sites and pages that deal with observational and experimental tests of relativity, such as the measurement of light deflection or gravitational time dilation.

Resources in This Category

• BBC News: Einstein was Right, Probe Shows

  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6561391.stm
  Early results from a mission to test two key predictions of Albert Einstein show he was right about at least one.

• Eotvos and Novel Equivalence Principle Test

  http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/eotvos.htm
  Describes proposed experiments to test whether the equivalence principle is violated when test masses of different chirality are used (parity violation). By Alan M. ("Uncle Al") Schwartz.

• Experimental Basis of Special Relativity

  http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SR/experiments.html
  A summary of tests of the foundations and predictions of special relativity, by Tom Roberts, Siegmar Schleif and others. Part of the Physics FAQ.

• Experimental Tests of Relativistic Gravity

  http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/damour1/
  Slides and audio for a talk given by Thibault Damour (IHES) at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (UCSB); information about the Parametrized Post-Newtonian Formalism, classical tests, and recent as well as future satellite tests of general relativity.

• General Relativity in the Global Positioning System

  http://www.phys.lsu.edu/mog/mog9/node9.html
  Brief text by Neil Ashby (University of Colorado) about the influence of relativistic effects on the satellite navigation system GPS; from the "Matters of Gravity" newsletter.

• Gravity Probe B

  http://einstein.stanford.edu/
  Gravity Probe B is the relativity gyroscope experiment being developed by NASA and Stanford University to test two extraordinary, unverified predictions of Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity.

• Principles of Equivalence: Their Role in Gravitation Physics and Experiments that Test Them

  http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0103067
  Article by Mark P. Haugan and Claus Lämmerzahl about the different versions of the equivalence principle (one of the basic assumptions that led to general relativity) and the various experiments that have been performed to test it, as well as those that are planned for the future.

• Relativity in the Global Positioning System

  http://relativity.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrr-2003-1/index.html
  Thorough review article by Neil Ashby (University of Colorado) about the various relativistic effects that play a role in the operation of the Global Positioning System and other satellite navigation systems. Published in Living Reviews in Relativity.

• Shapiro Radar Bounce Test

  http://world.std.com/~sweetser/PopScience/timeDelay/timeDelay.html
  A two part overview of the Shapiro radar bounce test of general relativity. (The two parts consist of a section for normal people, and one for nerds)

• Testing General Relativity with Pulsar Timing

  http://relativity.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrr-2003-5/index.html
  Article by Ingrid H. Stairs (University of British Columbia) published in Living Reviews of Relativity about how pulsar timing methods can be used to test different predictions of general relativity for the propagation of light, gravitational time dilation and the emission of gravitational waves.

• The Confrontation between General Relativity and Experiment

  http://relativity.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrr-2006-3/
  Review article by Clifford Will, published in Living Reviews in Relativity. Gives a complete survey of tests of general relativity using laboratory experiments and astronomical observations.

 

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