Question

Which of the following is not a test of general relativity but rather a test of special relativity?

A) The length of a moving object decreases when observed by a stationary observer.
B) The wavelength of light increases as it leaves a region of gravitational field.
C) Light travels in a curved path in a gravitational field.
D) The perihelion position of Mercury's orbit precesses more quickly than is predicted by Newtonian theory.

Answer 1

The question tests the student's understanding of the difference between special and general relativity. Choice A) regarding length contraction is a test of special relativity, while the other options pertain to general relativity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer to which option is a test of special relativity and not general relativity is A) The length of a moving object decreases when observed by a stationary observer. This concept is known as length contraction and is a key prediction of special relativity that describes how objects contract in the direction that they are moving relative to an observer who perceives them to be in motion. On the other hand, general relativity deals with the gravitational effects on time and space, which are not involved in length contraction. Choices B), C), and D) are all related to predictions by general relativity, as they deal with the effects of gravitation on light and the motion of celestial bodies.