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Gravity Probe B

Testing Einstein's Universe

Special & General Relativity Questions and Answers

Do Newtonian and Einsteinian gravity yield the same results for the same input parameters?

No they don't, because Newtonian calculations do not include the effect of the non-flat character of space in the vicinity of massive bodies. For instance, the deflection of light by a massive body comes out 1/2 as large in the Newtonian calculation as in the relativistic calculation.


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All answers are provided by Dr. Sten Odenwald (Raytheon STX) for the NASA Astronomy Cafe, part of the NASA Education and Public Outreach program.