Einstein's theory of relativity, particularly his general theory of relativity, had a profound impact on our understanding of Mercury's orbit around the Sun. Prior to Einstein's theory, Newtonian physics described gravity as a force acting instantaneously across space, resulting in predictable elliptical orbits.
However, observations of Mercury's orbit deviated slightly from the predictions of Newtonian physics. There was an unexplained advance in the perihelion of Mercury's orbit, which means that the point of closest approach to the Sun was shifting gradually over time. This phenomenon, known as the "perihelion precession of Mercury," posed a significant challenge to classical physics.
Einstein's general theory of relativity, published in 1915, provided a new understanding of gravity. According to his theory, massive objects like the Sun cause space and time to curve around them. This curvature, in turn, affects the motion of nearby objects.
Einstein's theory of general relativity predicted that the curvature of space-time around the Sun would cause the orbit of Mercury to deviate slightly from the predictions of Newtonian physics. The warping of space-time near the Sun would cause the perihelion of Mercury's orbit to precess or rotate gradually over time.
When the predictions of Einstein's theory were compared with observations, it was found to accurately account for the perihelion precession of Mercury. This provided a significant confirmation of the validity of Einstein's theory and demonstrated its superiority over classical Newtonian physics in describing the behavior of gravity in the presence of massive objects.
In summary, Einstein's theory of relativity, specifically the general theory of relativity, explained the observed perihelion precession of Mercury, providing a more accurate and comprehensive description of the motion of objects in the presence of gravity.