Relativity visualized
On the Status Quo of General Relativity in School Curricula

On the Status Quo of General Relativity in School Curricula

Corvin Zahn, Ute Kraus, April 18, 2025

With contributions by Lisa Büssing, Stuart Farmer, Lorenzo Galante, Fadeel Joubran, Magdalena Kersting, Gerd Kortemeyer, Richard Meagher, Alina Neumann, Joao Pereira.

 

I) Overview

Is general relativity mentioned in the curriculum of this country?

Country yes no remarks Data as at
Australia x 08/2020
Austria x 08/2020
Belgium x Flanders: no, other regions? 09/2017
Brazil x Rio de Janeiro: yes, other regions? 07/2017
Canada x Ontario: yes, other provinces: no 08/2020
Czech Republic x 09/2017
Denmark x 08/2020
Estonia x 08/2020
Finland x 07/2017
Germany x 4 out of 16 states: yes, others: no 08/2020
Hongkong x 08/2020
Ireland x 08/2020
Italy x 02/2019
Israel x 02/2019
Latvia x 08/2020
Luxembourg x 08/2020
Malta x 08/2020
Netherlands x 08/2020
New Zealand x 08/2020
Norway x 07/2017
Singapore x 08/2020
Sweden x 08/2020
Switzerland x in some cantons, in some schools 2018
Turkey x 09/2017
UK x Scotland: yes, England, Wales: no 08/2020
USA x federal curriculum: no, some school curricula: yes 2017

GR in the curriculum: dark green - yes, light green - partly, orange - no

2021-02-22_GR-in-curricula.png

II) Content

country curriculum on GR remarks Data as at
Austria National curriculum: basic concepts of general relativity. From implementation by different teachers: equivalence principle, clocks and rulers in a gravitational field, curvature of space, gravitational lenses, gravitational waves and LIGO, black holes, effect on GPS, non-Euclidean geometry 08/2020
Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) Recognize the present models of the universe (stellar evolution, black holes, curved space and big bang) Ensino Medio, age 15 07/2017
Estonia Equivalence principle, gravitational interaction described through bending space-time, cosmology required / optional subject 08/2020
Canada (Ontario) Theory of general relativity age 17-18 08/2020
Germany (Bremen) Equivalence principle, experimental tests (precession of the perihelion of Mercury, light deflection near the sun, gravitational redshift) advanced level, ages 16-17 12/2017
Germany (North Rhine-Westfalia) Basic statements of GR: gravitational time dilation, equivalence principle, gravitation and time measurement (describe qualitatively); gravitation, time measurement and curvature of space (illustrate using models and graphics); impact on physical world view advanced level, ages 16-17 12/2017
Germany (Saarland) Reference to GR as theory of gravitation and to its significance for astrophysics and cosmology age 16 12/2017
Germany (Saxony) Evidence for the impact of gravitation on light: reference to GR, gravitation and curved spacetime, experiments with atomic clocks, black holes in the universe standard level, age 16 12/2017
Selected aspects of GR: gravitation and curved spacetime, experiments with atomic clocks, black holes in the universe, big bang theory advanced level, age 16 12/2017
Norway ... give a qualitative description of general relativity upper secondary school 07/2017
Sweden ... an introduction to the general theory of relativity 08/2017
Switzerland Basic principles of general relativity. // Basic principles of general relativity, experimental tests. // The students know ideas and basic concepts of general relativity in a qualitative way. // The students are given a short, qualitative insight into general relativity. // The students can explain the concept of spatial curvature using a simple example. // The students can state the limited field of application of special relativity and fundamental principles of general relativity using a simple example. From individual cantonal and school curricula 2018
Turkey Big Bang, Cosmological models 09/2017
UK (Scotland) Knowledge that special relativity deals with motion in inertial (non-accelerating) frames of reference and that general relativity deals with motion in non-inertial (accelerating) frames of reference. --- Statement of the equivalence principle (that it is not possible to distinguish between the effects on an observer of a uniform gravitational field and of a constant acceleration) and awareness of its consequences. --- Consideration of spacetime as a representation of four dimensional space. --- Knowledge that light or a freely moving object follows a geodesic (the shortest distance between two points) in spacetime. --- Knowledge that GR leads to the interpretation that mass curves spacetime, and that gravity arises from the curvature of spacetime. --- Representation of World lines for objects which are stationary, moving with constant velocity and accelerating. --- Use of an appropriate relationship to solve problems relating to the Schwarzschild radius of a black hole. --- Knowledge that time appears to be frozen at the event horizon of a black hole. Advanced Higher Physics, ages 17-18 02/2019

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Authors: Corvin Zahn, Ute Kraus, Date: April 18, 2025
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