Consider the following phenomena : 1. Light is affected by gravity. 2. The Universe is constantly expanding. 3. Matter warps its surrounding space-time. Which of the above is/are the prediction/predictions of Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, often discussed in media ?

Reference [2] states GR's core idea: massive objects distort spacetime — the basis for how gravity affects light.

High-yield: this is the fundamental principle behind gravitational lensing, light deflection, time dilation and black holes. Mastering the geometric view of gravity helps answer conceptual and current-affairs questions linking physics and astronomy; practice by applying to examples (light near mass, orbit precession).

Reference [3] ties GR to singularities/black holes and explicitly notes that light cannot escape beyond a certain limit.

High-yield: black hole concepts (event horizon, escape of light) appear in static-concept questions and modern developments; connects to stellar evolution, Chandrasekhar limit, and observational signatures. Learn definitions (Schwarzschild radius, event horizon) and physical consequences.

Reference [1] records that Einstein predicted gravitational waves in 1916 — an important, testable GR prediction related to dynamic spacetime.

High-yield for contemporary and interdisciplinary questions: links theoretical prediction to observational confirmation (LIGO etc.), illustrating how GR makes novel predictions beyond Newtonian gravity. Useful for questions on tests of theories and recent scientific developments.

References show GR made explicit, testable predictions (e.g., gravitational waves) — relevant when asking which phenomena Einstein's theory did predict.

High-yield: helps differentiate between phenomena theoretically predicted by GR and those established observationally. Connects GR to modern astrophysics (LIGO detections) and exam questions on theory vs observation. Learn by mapping specific GR predictions to their supporting evidence.

Evidence states singularities and black holes were predicted from Einstein's equations, showing other major cosmological implications of GR.

Important for UPSC: clarifies which profound consequences (black holes, singularities) flow from GR, linking physics to space science and current affairs. This enables answering comparative and cause–effect questions about GR's legacy.

Multiple references attribute the expanding-universe idea to observational evidence (Edwin Hubble) and the Big Bang model, not explicitly to a direct Einstein prediction in the provided texts.

Core cosmology topic: distinguishes empirical discoveries from theory-based predictions — crucial for answering UPSC questions that test source attribution (who predicted vs who observed). Links to questions on Big Bang, Hubble's law, inflation, and dark energy.

References explain that space and time are interwoven (special relativity) and form spacetime used by GR to describe gravity.

High-yield for UPSC science sections and essays: understanding spacetime is foundational to questions on relativity, cosmology and black holes. Connects to topics on special relativity and gravitational phenomena; useful for explanation-based and conceptual MCQs. Learn core definitions and historical development (1905 → 1915).