Geometric Origin of the Equivalence Principle and Predictive Deviations in the 5D Solitonic Framework

The equivalence principle is one of the central conceptual pillars of general relativity, yetit is introduced as a postulate rather than as a consequence of a deeper physical structure.In this article, we show that within the five-dimensional solitonic framework M4 × S1/Z6,the equivalence principle emerges naturally as an approximate geometric property. Inertiais derived as the four-dimensional projection of a conserved topological flux in a compactenergetic dimension, while gravitation corresponds to the curvature induced by these samesolitons. This conceptual distinction explains why the equivalence principle is verified withextraordinary precision, while still allowing for ultra-weak, structured, and predictive devi-ations. We finally discuss the experimental detectability of such deviations and identify thecontexts in which their observation is most favorable.