Final answer:
The scientist Freundlich attempted to measure the bending of light by matter in order to verify Einstein's theory of general relativity.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to verify Einstein's theory of general relativity, the scientist Freundlich attempted to measure the bending of light by matter. This was done by observing starlight passing near the Sun during a solar eclipse, where the apparent positions of stars in a line of sight nearest the Sun would have a shift. The observed shift in star positions agreed with Einstein's predictions and provided evidence for the bending of light by gravity, supporting the theory of general relativity.