Hatrack River Forum: General relativity tested again: looks good

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Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :

Here's a summary link. Basically, some 130,000 measurements of a relatively close twin pulsar system were taken and compared to predictions made using general relativity theory. The results more or less speak for themselves:

quote:
Researchers have now compiled nearly three years worth of observations to make the finest scale test of general relativity yet, and find that its predictions are accurate to at least 99.95 percent.

As an engineer-in-training, that's the kind of error margin I'd round to zero. [Wink]

Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :

Although I found interesting an uncited comment that Quantum Electro (Mechanics? Dynamics?) is accurate out to 10-11 decimal places, instead of 3-4 for general relativity.

-Bok

Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :

Well, presumably they're each accurate when doing calculations about different things. [Wink]

Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :

So, e=mc**2 +/- .05%

Cool.

Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Bokonon:
Although I found interesting an uncited comment that Quantum Electro (Mechanics? Dynamics?) is accurate out to 10-11 decimal places, instead of 3-4 for general relativity.

-Bok

I can't imagine how one would determine that since I know of no measurement techniques that are accurate to that many decimal places.

Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :

So, e=mc**2 +/- .05%

Cool.

Posted by Mathematician (Member # 9586) on :

quote:
Originally posted by The Rabbit:

quote:
Originally posted by Bokonon:
Although I found interesting an uncited comment that Quantum Electro (Mechanics? Dynamics?) is accurate out to 10-11 decimal places, instead of 3-4 for general relativity.

-Bok
I can't imagine how one would determine that since I know of no measurement techniques that are accurate to that many decimal places.

Perhaps other people know of measurement techniques which are that accurate? I'm not one of them, though I've heard the same figures for a few particular constants of QED, particularly, spin angular momentum of an electron.

Posted by King of Men (Member # 6684) on :

Yep. Also the fine structure constant alpha, and I think the electron-to-muon cross-section is prediceted to at least five or six decimal places.

Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :

The currrent value of g, representing the magnetic moment of the electron, is accurate to within 0.76 parts per trillion:
ie easily within 1 part per 1,000,000,000,000.

Gabrielse also led the team comparing charge-to-mass ratios for an antiproton and a proton to an accuracy of 90 parts per trillion:
ie accurate to within 10 decimal places

[ September 18, 2006, 09:56 PM: Message edited by: aspectre ]