Half-Reaction Method

General relativity provided the first accurate explanation for the anomalous precession of Mercury's perihelion. Newtonian gravity could not fully account for the slow, gradual shift in the orientation of Mercury's elliptical orbit. Einstein's theory correctly predicted the missing 43 arcseconds per century, attributing it to the curvature of spacetime around the Sun, a major early triumph for the theory.

A black hole is a region of spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing—no particles or even light—can escape. The boundary of this region is called the event horizon. Predicted by general relativity as a solution to the field equations, a black hole is the result of the complete gravitational collapse of a massive star.

General relativity predicts that the path of light is bent by gravity. When light from a distant source passes a massive object like a galaxy or a star, its path is deflected. This phenomenon, known as gravitational lensing, can magnify, distort, or create multiple images of the background source, acting like a cosmic telescope for observing the distant universe.

All quantum entities, such as photons and electrons, exhibit both particle and wave properties. Depending on the experimental setup, they can behave like a localized particle or a distributed wave. The de Broglie hypothesis states that any particle with momentum [latex]p[/latex] has an associated wavelength [latex]\lambda = h/p[/latex], where [latex]h[/latex] is Planck's constant.

This is a fundamental equation in quantum mechanics that describes how the quantum state of a physical system changes over time. It is a linear partial differential equation for the wavefunction, [latex]\Psi(x, t)[/latex]. The time-dependent version is [latex]i\hbar\frac{\partial}{\partial t}\Psi = \hat{H}\Psi[/latex], where [latex]\hat{H}[/latex] is the Hamiltonian operator, representing the total energy of the system.

Thixotropy and rheopexy describe time-dependent changes in viscosity. A thixotropic fluid's viscosity decreases over time under constant shear stress (e.g., yogurt becomes runnier when stirred). A rheopectic (or anti-thixotropic) fluid's viscosity increases over time under constant shear (e.g., some lubricants). These effects are reversible; the fluid returns to its original state after a period of rest.

A key prediction of general relativity is that time passes at different rates in different gravitational potentials. A clock in a stronger gravitational field (closer to a massive object) will tick slower than a clock in a weaker field. This effect, known as gravitational time dilation, has been experimentally verified and is a crucial factor in modern technology like GPS.

The Einstein Field Equations (EFE) are a set of ten coupled, non-linear partial differential equations that form the core of general relativity. They describe the fundamental interaction of gravitation as a result of spacetime being curved by matter and energy. The equation is concisely written as [latex]G_{\mu\nu} + \Lambda g_{\mu\nu} = \frac{8\pi G}{c^4} T_{\mu\nu}[/latex], relating spacetime geometry to its energy-momentum content.

General relativity predicts that a massive, rotating object should 'drag' the fabric of spacetime around with it, a phenomenon known as frame-dragging or the Lense-Thirring effect. This means a gyroscope orbiting the rotating body will precess, not because of any applied torque, but because spacetime itself is being twisted by the body's rotation.

Redox (reduction-oxidation) reactions involve a transfer of electrons between chemical species. One species undergoes oxidation (loses electrons), while another undergoes reduction (gains electrons). These two processes always occur simultaneously. The species that loses electrons is the reducing agent, and the one that gains electrons is the oxidizing agent. This fundamental concept underpins electrochemistry and many biological processes.

A Bingham plastic is a viscoplastic material that behaves as a rigid body at low stresses but flows as a viscous fluid at high stress. It is characterized by a yield stress, [latex]\tau_0[/latex], which is the minimum shear stress required to initiate flow. Below this threshold, it does not deform. Common examples include toothpaste, mayonnaise, and clay slurries.

Shear-thinning, or pseudoplasticity, is a non-Newtonian behavior where a fluid's viscosity decreases with an increasing rate of shear stress. Many common substances, like ketchup or paint, exhibit this property. At rest, they are thick, but they flow more easily when shaken, stirred, or spread. This is often modeled by the Ostwald–de Waele power-law relationship.

Quantum statistics modifies classical statistical mechanics to account for the indistinguishability of identical particles. It splits into two types: Fermi-Dirac statistics for fermions (half-integer spin particles like electrons), which obey the Pauli exclusion principle, and Bose-Einstein statistics for bosons (integer spin particles like photons), which can occupy the same quantum state. This distinction is crucial at low temperatures and high densities.

It is impossible to simultaneously know with perfect accuracy certain pairs of complementary physical properties of a particle. The most common example is the position [latex]x[/latex] and momentum [latex]p[/latex]. The principle states that the product of their uncertainties, [latex]\Delta x[/latex] and [latex]\Delta p[/latex], must be greater than or equal to a specific value: [latex]\Delta x \Delta p \ge \frac{\hbar}{2}[/latex].