Remarks on the Equivalence of Inertial and Gravitational Masses and on the Accuracy of Einstein?s Theory of Gravity
Year: 2005
This paper investigates the accuracy of Einstein?s theory of gravity by studying
the gravitational field near a spherically symmetric nonrotating massive body.
The well-known Schwarzschild metric, which describes the space-time in the vicinity
of such bodies, according to Einstein?s theory of gravity, is compared with
the new metric that is derived from first principles, without the use of Einstein?s
field equation. The basis for the derivation of the new metric is the new mass
equivalence principle derived as a consequence of thought experiments and a
slightly modified Newton?s gravitational law written with the proper time and the
proper distance. The new metric predictions are evaluated and compared for accuracy
with observations and with the predictions of the perihelion advance and the
gravitational redshift of the Schwarzschild metric. It is found that an excellent
agreement is obtained between the theory and observations and significant differences
from the predictions of the Schwarzschild metric are observed only in the vicinity
of the Schwarzschild radius. The new metric has no problems related to the
?black hole? geometry, has no coordinate pathologies, does not have the event horizon,
and does not have the now famous singularity in the center of the black hole.