What is the curvature of spacetime?

The curvature of spacetime influences the motion of massive bodies within it; in turn, as massive bodies move in spacetime, the curvature changes and the geometry of spacetime is in constant evolution. Gravity then provides a description of the dynamic interaction between matter and spacetime.

How much is space-time curved at a black hole?

Both pictures show the so called conformal factor as seen from different angles. This conformal factor is closely related to the spacetime curvature. The two spikes are the black holes. Since the curvature at each black hole center is infinite each spike should in principle be infinitely long.

What determines the curvature of space?

Gravity is the curvature of spacetime Gravity is the curvature of the universe, caused by massive bodies, which determines the path that objects travel. That curvature is dynamical, moving as those objects move. In Einstein’s view of the world, gravity is the curvature of spacetime caused by massive objects.

How is the curvature of space determined?

Overall Curvature of Space The density of matter and energy in the universe determines whether the universe is open, closed, or flat. If the density is equal to the critical density, then the universe has zero curvature; it is flat.

How does a black hole distort time and space?

As you get closer to a black hole, the flow of time slows down, compared to flow of time far from the hole. (According to Einstein’s theory, any massive body, including the Earth, produces this effect. For example, an object falling into the hole would appear frozen in time at the edge of the hole.

How is space-time different from Earth time?

So depending on our position and speed, time can appear to move faster or slower to us relative to others in a different part of space-time. And for astronauts on the International Space Station, that means they get to age just a tiny bit slower than people on Earth. That’s because of time-dilation effects.

How do you calculate space-time curvature?

The overall curvature of space can be determined from these angles. If the sum is 180 degrees, like you learned in geometry class, then the space around the satellites is flat. If the sum is more than 180 degrees, then space has positive curvature there, like the surface of a sphere.

How much does the Earth curve away from the horizontal?

The Earth curves away from a horizontal line by 1/8th of inch for every 100 feet of horizontal distance. The Earth’s curvature will swamp out your instrument error in less than 100 feet. The statement about the curvature of Earth got me thinking.

Is gravity the warping of space and time?

The equivalence principle tells us that the effects of gravity and acceleration are indistinguishable. In thinking about the example of the cylindrical ride, we see that accelerated motion can warp space and time. It is here that Einstein connected the dots to suggest that gravity is the warping of space and time.

What happens when you throw an object in orbit around Earth?

The object tries to continue in the path you threw it, but gravity keeps on pulling it back in. With the right balance, the object is now in orbit around Earth—just like the moon, or like Earth around the sun. Newton realised that gravity was responsible for objects falling to the ground and for the orbit of celestial objects.

What happens when you travel faster through space or time?

The faster you travel through space, the slower you travel through time, and vice versa. Another consequence of special relativity is that fast-moving objects appear to contract in size, in the direction of their motion. (And again, this gets flipped around depending on whose perspective you’re looking from.)