The Mach-Einstein Connection

The Mach-Einstein connection highlights how Einstein’s theories of relativity build on Mach’s ideas. Mach believed that inertia (an object’s resistance to change in motion) depends on the presence of distant stars and mass in the universe. Einstein's general relativity suggests that gravity is caused by the shape of spacetime influenced by mass and energy, echoing Mach’s idea that local physics depends on the universe’s overall structure. In essence, Einstein’s work extends Mach’s concept that local physical laws are interconnected with the universe's large-scale properties, emphasizing that the behavior of objects is linked to the cosmos at large.