Final answer:
It is false to say that Einstein's General Theory of Relativity proved Newton's gravity theory fundamentally wrong. General Relativity extends Newton's work by more accurately accounting for gravitational phenomena, particularly in extreme conditions, while Newton's laws remain valid for most practical situations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Einstein's General Theory of Relativity showed that Newton's theory of gravity was fundamentally wrong is false. Instead, Einstein's theory extends Newtonian mechanics, providing a more comprehensive description of gravity, especially under extreme conditions not accounted for by Newton's theory. While Newton's law of universal gravitation remains a very good approximation for most situations, General Relativity offers explanations for phenomena such as the orbit of Mercury and the bending of light around massive objects like black holes.
It is true that Einstein's theory of general relativity, published in 1916, introduces the conception of gravity as the curvature of spacetime caused by mass, which differs from Newton's idea of gravity as a force acting at a distance. Nevertheless, in the realm of everyday experiences and for practical purposes such as navigating spacecraft to other planets, Newton's laws continue to be very effective. The significance of Einstein's theory becomes pronounced in strong gravitational fields and in explaining certain observations that Newton's laws could not, such as the precession of Mercury's orbit.
In understanding how scientific theories evolve, it is important to recognize that Einstein's theory did not discard Newton's theory but rather expanded upon it. The advancement of science involves the refinement of existing theories, building on their success and addressing their limitations. As such, general relativity has not only confirmed Newton's work where it applies but also corrected it where it does not, thereby establishing a new standard for understanding gravity.