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TLS in German, signed “A. Einstein,” one page, 8 x 10, The Institute for Advanced Study, School of Mathematics, Fine Hall (Princeton, New Jersey) letterhead, November 3, 1933. Letter to G. H. Tydeman, in full (translated): “I wrote to you some time ago after carefully studying your detailed correspondence. Unfortunately, you don't seem to have received my letter. Your reasoning is unfortunately incorrect. You forgot that only the difference between the accelerating force acting at the Earth's surface and the accelerating force acting at the Earth's center is responsible for the creation of tides.” In fine condition. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope, which bears ink notations in a mixture of German and English that seemingly reference scientific articles, “‘On the Origin of Terrestrial Tides,’ what drowned the hidden River Canyons beneath the Seas?” and “‘The Earth’s Rotation,” the latter of which was forwarded “℅ Mrs. Einstein.” Following Hitler's rise to power in January 1933, Einstein was forced to cut all ties with his homeland of Germany. He decided to settle permanently in the United States and took a position at Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study as a resident scholar in early October 1933, a month before writing this letter.
While Newtonian physics explains tides as a result of the gravitational pull of the moon (and the sun) on Earth's oceans, Einstein’s theory of general relativity offers a more accurate and fundamental understanding of the underlying physics. Einstein's theory explains that gravity is not a force, but rather a curvature of spacetime caused by the presence of mass and energy. This immense presence, the moon’s mass, warps spacetime and creates a ‘dimple’ that pulls on the Earth. This curvature is stronger on the side of the Earth closest to the moon and weaker on the far side, leading to the tidal bulges that cause high tides. A fascinating letter from Albert Einstein, offering a quick correction on differential gravity and its effects on the Earth’s tides.
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