It is important to note that Albert Einstein did not actually come up with the concept of a graviton. The graviton is a hypothetical particle in the framework of quantum field theory that is believed to mediate the force of gravity, similar to how photons mediate the electromagnetic force. However, the concept of the graviton emerged well after Einstein's time.
Einstein's work on gravity was primarily focused on developing the theory of general relativity, which he published in 1915. General relativity revolutionized our understanding of gravity by describing it as the curvature of spacetime caused by mass and energy. It provided a geometric framework to explain the behavior of massive objects and the effects of gravity.
Quantum mechanics, on the other hand, is a separate branch of physics that deals with the behavior of particles at the smallest scales. In the realm of quantum mechanics, particles are described as both particles and waves, and interactions are mediated by exchange particles known as gauge bosons. For example, photons are the gauge bosons responsible for the electromagnetic force.
The idea of a graviton as a theoretical particle emerged later in the mid-20th century when physicists attempted to reconcile general relativity with quantum mechanics. They sought to develop a theory of quantum gravity that could describe gravity in the framework of quantum field theory, similar to other fundamental forces.
The concept of the graviton was proposed as a possible mediator of the gravitational force within this quantum theory of gravity. It is thought to be a massless particle that carries gravitational interactions between particles. However, it's important to note that a consistent and widely accepted theory of quantum gravity, including the graviton, is still an active area of research, and there is currently no experimental evidence for the existence of gravitons.
So, while Einstein's work laid the foundation for our understanding of gravity through general relativity, the concept of the graviton as a particle emerged from subsequent efforts to unify gravity with quantum mechanics.