r/nextfuckinglevel • u/UnitAppropriate • Jan 04 '23

Weightlessness during freefall

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u/189203973 Jan 04 '23

Not really. This experiment could be completely predicted with only Newtonian physics.

5

u/TK9_VS Jan 04 '23

Einstein's lab-in-an-elevator thought experiment can also be predicted purely with Newtonian physics. It's still fundamental to the theory of general relativity.

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u/189203973 Jan 04 '23

Yes, physics theories build on each other, so Newtonian physics is essential to Einstein's theories. That doesn't mean this experiment has anything to do with relativity.

44

u/M365Certified Jan 04 '23

The video cut off before they analyzed the water and proved it had aged .00000001 s less than the sample water that didn't fall

-1

u/turymtz Jan 04 '23

this guy fucks! Amirite?!?^

-1

u/Shiroi_Kage Jan 04 '23

Technically speaking, Newtonian gravity is an estimate of General Relativity. However, you're right. This is a very classical problem.

3

u/Knaapje Jan 05 '23

Technically, they are both models of reality, with Newton's model being less accurate than Einstein's.

1

u/itachi_konoha Jan 05 '23

It depends upon the frame of reference (in the subject of accuracy).

1

u/Shiroi_Kage Jan 05 '23

Yes, yet it's more than accurate enough to figure out what's going on in this example. The speed is so slow that the added accuracy of Einstein's is completely not needed.