Why did Einstein introduce his cosmological constant into the original field equations for general relativity?
A) The constant was necessary to make the solutions describe an expanding universe.
B) Experimental evidence at this time (before Hubble)suggested a static universe,and this constant was required to produce static solutions.
C) The constant represented the acceleration of gravity near Earth's surface,and it was necessary in order to make the nonrelativistic limit of the solutions compatible with Newton's results.
D) The constant represented the speed of light,and its inclusion was necessary to produce solutions,which were compatible with the postulates of special relativity.

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

At the time when Einstein introduced his cosmological constant in 1917, the dominant view among physicists was that the universe was static, and there was no evidence to suggest otherwise. However, the original field equations of general relativity predicted an unstable universe that was either expanding or contracting. Einstein introduced the cosmological constant as a modification to these equations to allow for a stable, static universe. It was only later, with the discovery of the expansion of the universe by Edwin Hubble, that Einstein abandoned the cosmological constant and referred to it as his "greatest mistake."

Why Did Einstein Introduce His Cosmological Constant into the Original