Page:The principle of relativity (1920).djvu/28

 is found simpler to refer all motion in a gravitational field to a special set of co-ordinates, we may certainly look upon this special "framework" (at least for the particular region concerned), to be more fundamental and more natural. We may, still more simply, identify this particular framework with the special local properties of space in that region. That is, we can look upon the effects of a gravitational field as simply due to the local properties of space and time itself. The very presence of matter implies a modification of the characteristics of space and time in its neighbourhood. As Eddington says "matter does not cause the curvature of space-time. It is the curvature. Just as light does not cause electromagnetic oscillations; it is the oscillations."

We may look upon this from a slightly different point of view. The General Principle of Relativity asserts that all motion is merely relative motion between matter and matter, and as all movements must be referred to definite sets of co-ordinates, the ground of any possible framework must ultimately be material in character. It is convenient to take the matter actually present in a field as the fundamental ground of our framework. If this is done, the special characteristics of our framework would naturally depend on the actual distribution of matter in the field. But physical space and time is completely defined by the "framework." In other words the "framework" itself is space and time. Hence we see how physical space and time is actually defined by the local distribution of matter.

There are certain magnitudes which remain constant by any change of axes. In ordinary geometry distance between two points is one such magnitude; so that δx^2 + δy^2 + δz^2 is an invariant. In the restricted theory of light, the principle of constancy of light velocity demands that δx^2 + δy^2 + δz^2 - c^2δt^2 should remain constant.