Title: What Every Engineer Should Know About Gravity and Relativity

Author(s): G. D. Nasser

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 125

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 1-28

Keywords: engineering; gravity; lunar bases; lunar structures; relativity; reviews; General

DOI: 10.14359/3679

Date: 5/1/1991

Abstract:
The age of space exploration is already here and it appears likely that, in the next 20 years, there will be permanent bases on the moon. Therefore, it is incumbent upon engineers designing lunar structures to become knowledgeable about the peculiar effects of gravity and relativity under extraterrestrial conditions. The purpose of the paper is to present a review of Newtonian physics in light of Einstein's special and general theories of relativity. In particular, Newton's classic laws of motion and gravitation are compared with modern concepts of space-time, time dilation, length contraction, equivalency principle, and other interesting aspects of relativity.