Einstein's Theory of Gravity Verified in the Quantum World

An international research team has observed for the first time that the Equivalence Principle, a cornerstone of Einstein's theory of general relativity, is consistent with the behavior of matter in the quantum world.

Quantum and Gravity

For over a century, physicists have explained the behavior of atoms using quantum mechanics and the fall of large objects using Einstein's theory of gravity, though exactly how the two unify remains unknown. In the new study, a distinct change corresponding to Einstein's equivalence principle was observed in the quantum properties of falling atoms.

Conducting the Experiment

The research was conducted at Ben-Gurion University using clouds of rubidium atoms cooled close to absolute zero. With the aid of the Quantum Galileo Interferometer device, the matter waves of the atoms were split into two paths; one was held stationary with a magnetic field, while the other was released into free fall.

Obtained Results

The interference pattern created by recombining the paths allowed for the measurement of a tiny difference in quantum phase. The study demonstrated that Einstein's equivalence principle is consistent with quantum mechanics in the tested regime.