Equivalence principle

Topic

The equivalence principle is the fundamental hypothesis in physics stating that the gravitational mass and inertial mass of an object are equivalent. Its weak form asserts that all masses in free fall follow identical trajectories regardless of their composition, while Albert Einstein's extended form posits that the local effects of gravity are indistinguishable from those of a uniformly accelerating reference frame. This principle served as a crucial foundation for the development of the theory of general relativity.