✔ 最佳答案
Some defination first, space here is the meaning of space-time (空間+時間). In Newton's or classical physic time and space are indepent but they are the same kind in relativity. The meaning of space is not only for 3D or 4D (3D+time), in a general speaking, it can be extented to all, say 1D up to 22D. Space (空間) is not universe (宇宙).
1) In a better wording, if there exists a mass in the space, then the space would be distorted, whatever the mass is moving or not. The present itself will destort the space. That is a good question same as to ask (someone) what is gravity, I can tell you that no one can answer you, at least in guaduate school (The master and doctor students).
2) Einstein's idea is, light (光) will passing though the shortest path in the space, even the space is distorted or not. In the conversion to classic physics, It is same as the change in the path in gravity. But please keep in mind that there is no gravity in relativity, it is always compared with the gravity mainly due to it is more easy to be accept for (normal) people.
3) When you use relativity in our daily life, you will find that the answer is almost same as Newton's law. The different is mainly applied in strong gravitational force or large mass, with high speed motions. I would say Newton's law of motion can be treated as a simplifer for daily. The astronauts of USA had said that their spaceship is guide by Newton. The main application of relativtics correction is applied in GPS.
4) As I noticed before, there is no gravity in relativity, so you cannot put them all together and take comparision, relativity is a whole band of new ideas compare to classic physics, even it can be only applied to extraodinary places, like the evolution of the universe. That is quite interesting to think that the all ideas in our daily life does not work in that situation (same as in quantum physics).
2008-11-15 21:09:25 補充:
If you are interest in relativity, you mare better to start from special relativity, since it is only due with high speed motion and idea of space-time, let you to have a brain storm to accept the new ideas.
2008-11-15 21:09:32 補充:
The general relativity are mainly about "gravitational", the destortion of space. It is much harder even you do not go into its maths, you need to have new idea of the space.
2008-11-15 21:09:40 補充:
There are many popular science books in libary, but I have not go to library for a long time, I cannot make suggestions......
2008-11-15 21:09:56 補充:
But beside the library, you can also go to find the Newton's magazine, which is a Japanese popular science magazine with Taiwan traditional chinese translated version,
2008-11-15 21:10:00 補充:
and I find there is some simplier chinese version in 尚書坊, it costs HKD20 dollar, which contains many latest science related discovery, and sometimes it will have topics on relativity or universe.