How solid is the theory of General Relativity?

[LangfordBarrow]

So supposedly there's no aether, that permeates the universe and our dimensions reside in like fish in a tank, the universe is "space-time" that's like rising dough. Matter within it condenses, due to gravitational forces that span the universe, but that are thousands of times weaker than the other natural forces we can detect. Does the detection of gravitational waves seal the deal or is there still a nail out there with this coffin's name on it?

 

[Phr3121]

How solid is the theory of General Relativity?

Solid...

Einstein's general theory of relativity explains that what we perceive as the force of gravity in fact arises from the curvature of space and time. Einstein proposed that objects such as the sun and the Earth change this geometry.

Also, relativity was a stunning concept in 1916; scientists all over the world debated the accuracy of Einstein's famous equation, E=mc^2, which implied that matter and energy were equivalent and, more specifically, that a single particle of matter could be converted into a huge quantity of energy. I think the Atom bomb proved this in 1945. Critical mass and a chain reaction.

 

[Fawlty]

Good start here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tests_of_general_relativity

 

[LangfordBarrow]

Solid...

Einstein's general theory of relativity explains that what we perceive as the force of gravity in fact arises from the curvature of space and time. Einstein proposed that objects such as the sun and the Earth change this geometry.

Also, relativity was a stunning concept in 1916; scientists all over the world debated the accuracy of Einstein's famous equation, E=mc^2, which implied that matter and energy were equivalent and, more specifically, that a single particle of matter could be converted into a huge quantity of energy. I think the Atom bomb proved this in 1945. Critical mass and a chain reaction.

I believe fusion, or hydrogen bombs, convert an even higher percentage of matter into energy.

 

[Trotsky]

It's fairly solid, but of course that's relative

 

[panamaican]

Generally speaking on a theoretical level, it's relatively solid.

 

[Phr3121]

I believe fusion, or hydrogen bombs, convert even a higher percentage of matter into energy.

Indeed. Atom bombs are in the 'kiloton' range. Hydrogen bombs (thermonuclear) are in the 'megaton' range.
1 Megaton = 1,000 Kilotons.
Hiroshima Atom bomb was about 15 Kilotons.
The Castle Bravo Hydrogen bomb was about 15 Megatons.

So, yeah, I really don't see the need for the destructive power of a Hydrogen bomb. You need an Atom bomb to set off a Hydrogen bomb. It is a 4 stage bomb where the energy is multiplied by each stage of the explosion. Uranium being the key element for both types of bomb. Plutonium is extracted from Uranium. It is all completed in 1/1,000,000 of a second.

Ablation mechanism firing sequence.

1. Warhead before firing. The nested spheres at the top are the fission primary; the cylinders below are the fusion secondary device.
2. Fission primary's explosives have detonated and collapsed the primary's fissile pit.
3. The primary's fission reaction has run to completion, and the primary is now at several million degrees and radiating gamma and hard X-rays, heating up the inside of the hohlraum, the shield, and the secondary's tamper.
4. The primary's reaction is over and it has expanded. The surface of the pusher for the secondary is now so hot that it is also ablating or expanding away, pushing the rest of the secondary (tamper, fusion fuel, and fissile spark plug) inwards. The spark plug starts to fission. Not depicted: the radiation case is also ablating and expanding outwards (omitted for clarity of diagram).
5. The secondary's fuel has started the fusion reaction and shortly will burn up. A fireball starts to form.

 

[Phr3121]

Ivy Mike was the first Hydrogen Bomb test done by the U.S. in 1952. 10.4 Megatons. This is a great video of how the process works. Start at 2:39.



* Also, if you are an 'elements' collector like me, you can buy Uranium 238 over the internet in the U.S. only. Bomb grade Uranium 235 and Plutonium 239 is illegal to have or sell. Uranium is a silvery, hard, heavy, and dense element.

 

[LangfordBarrow]

Indeed. Atom bombs are in the 'kiloton' range. Hydrogen bombs (thermonuclear) are in the 'megaton' range.
1 Megaton = 1,000 Kilotons.
Hiroshima Atom bomb was about 15 Kilotons.
The Castle Bravo Hydrogen bomb was about 15 Megatons.

So, yeah, I really don't see the need for the destructive power of a Hydrogen bomb. You need an Atom bomb to set off a Hydrogen bomb. It is a 4 stage bomb where the energy is multiplied by each stage of the explosion. Uranium being the key element for both types of bomb. Plutonium is extracted from Uranium. It is all completed in 1/1,000,000 of a second.

Ablation mechanism firing sequence.

1. Warhead before firing. The nested spheres at the top are the fission primary; the cylinders below are the fusion secondary device.
2. Fission primary's explosives have detonated and collapsed the primary's fissile pit.
3. The primary's fission reaction has run to completion, and the primary is now at several million degrees and radiating gamma and hard X-rays, heating up the inside of the hohlraum, the shield, and the secondary's tamper.
4. The primary's reaction is over and it has expanded. The surface of the pusher for the secondary is now so hot that it is also ablating or expanding away, pushing the rest of the secondary (tamper, fusion fuel, and fissile spark plug) inwards. The spark plug starts to fission. Not depicted: the radiation case is also ablating and expanding outwards (omitted for clarity of diagram).
5. The secondary's fuel has started the fusion reaction and shortly will burn up. A fireball starts to form.

 

[JSN]

I believe fusion, or hydrogen bombs, convert even a higher percentage of matter into energy.

fusion and fission are both nuclear reactions. The energy difference between hydrogen and helium nuclei happens to be greater than that between very large nuclei undergoing fission into smaller nuclei.

 

[Phr3121]

@StickAndMove

I find both issues pretty fascinating.
. How Einstein in 1916 came up with the theory by thinking it through in his head. No laboratory work.
.The Atom bomb in 1945. Pencil, paper, sliding ruler and your head.

I would think both would not come up until at least the 1950s, but no. Some humans are extremely bright and can think through amazing things. Thinking 'outside the box'.

How exactly were atoms studied before 1940? How could you see them? How did they know that Uranium was the magic element? Not U238, but U235. Developing a method to separate one from the other. The first atomic bomb test in New Mexico turned out to be a mistake. It was expected to have a yield of 5 kilotons, but it turned out to be 20 kilotons. It was a Plutonium bomb, not Uranium like most people think. Plutonium comes from Uranium.

First nuclear reactor in the world. University of Chicago, U.S., 1942.

Uranium 235:

 

[ShinkanPo]

So supposedly there's no aether, that permeates the universe and our dimensions reside in like fish in a tank, the universe is "space-time" that's like rising dough. Matter within it condenses, due to gravitational forces that span the universe, but that are thousands of times weaker than the other natural forces we can detect. Does the detection of gravitational waves seal the deal or is there still a nail out there with this coffin's name on it?

The aether is black matter!

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

That deal appears sealed.
Prediction in close agreement with data.

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

I believe fusion, or hydrogen bombs, convert even a higher percentage of matter into energy.

Better to say releases. Matter is energy.

 

[ShinkanPo]

Its relatively solid.

 

[Benjamin Burton]

So solid they had to create special relativity to make up for how wrong it was

 

[Based and White Pilled]

Solid...

Einstein's general theory of relativity explains that what we perceive as the force of gravity in fact arises from the curvature of space and time. Einstein proposed that objects such as the sun and the Earth change this geometry.

Also, relativity was a stunning concept in 1916; scientists all over the world debated the accuracy of Einstein's famous equation, E=mc^2, which implied that matter and energy were equivalent and, more specifically, that a single particle of matter could be converted into a huge quantity of energy. I think the Atom bomb proved this in 1945. Critical mass and a chain reaction.

Yeah, the fact that nuclear power plants exist is proof of the relationship between energy and mass.

General relativity is harder to prove, but I think it's pretty solid. I'm sure there are more discoveries and a deeper understanding to be had in regards to gravitational fields, but I'm still good with what we've got so far.

 

[LangfordBarrow]

@StickAndMove

I find both issues pretty fascinating.
. How Einstein in 1916 came up with the theory by thinking it through in his head. No laboratory work.
.The Atom bomb in 1945. Pencil, paper, sliding ruler and your head.

I would think both would not come up until at least the 1950s, but no. Some humans are extremely bright and can think through amazing things. Thinking 'outside the box'.

How exactly were atoms studied before 1940? How could you see them? How did they know that Uranium was the magic element? Not U238, but U235. Developing a method to separate one from the other. The first atomic bomb test in New Mexico turned out to be a mistake. It was expected to have a yield of 5 kilotons, but it turned out to be 20 kilotons. It was a Plutonium bomb, not Uranium like most people think. Plutonium comes from Uranium.

First nuclear reactor in the world. University of Chicago, U.S., 1942.

Uranium 235:

If I'm not mistaken it was Einstein's paper on Brownian motion that proved the existence of atoms and allowed him to calculate a rough estimate of their size. So in 1905 they couldn't see atoms, but they could see the effect they had on tiny particles floating in water, causing them to jump around in random directions.

 

[LangfordBarrow]

So solid they had to create special relativity to make up for how wrong it was

Not sure if you're joking but that's not true. Special relativity came first. It deals with length and time dilation and having a universal speed limit. GR describes the universe as "spacetime" and the effects massive objects have on it and was published 10 years later.

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

So solid they had to create special relativity to make up for how wrong it was

Reversewise.
The GTOR was in 1905.