Equation for how much an object curves space-time

In summary, these books recommend that the equation for Newtonian gravity is F=Gm1m2/r^2, which is correct for many situations, but when things are very dense and moving quickly, the equation does not work.
  • #1
rubecuber
48
0
hey guys, I asked my( well she's not mine since i don't take physics yet)physics tacher if there is an equation to find out how much a body can curve space-time, but she gave me f=Gm1m2/r^2. But I'm pretty sure that's not it. I know that the equation is not linear. Could one of you guys who knows about this help clarify this?
 
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  • #2
That is the equation for Newtonian gravity, which is correct for many situations. Only when things are very dense of moving very quickly does that not work.

The full set of equations (at least as far as we know) are called the Einstein Field Equations.

Without going into the full mathematical detail, this set of equations equates the 'stress-energy tensor' which describes the energy present in the situation you're dealing with, and the Einstein Tensor. The Einstein Tensor is actually a function of something called the metric, and it is the metric that tells you how much space-time is curved. So for a given distribution of energy, the field equations are solved to find the metric for which the Einstein Tensor equals the Stress Energy Tensor (I hope that made sense!).

Some folk around here caution against using Wikipedia to learn science, for good reason, however the Wiki entry for the Einstein Field Equation isn't terrible, so you could have a read of that.

A better option would be to try a textbook. I reccomend 'Gravity' by James Hartle but there are plenty of other introductory Relativity textbooks that may also be useful.
 
  • #3
thank you very much
 
  • #4
Recommend some good popular books

I agree with Wallace, except that if you, rubecuber, haven't taken a lot of college physics, I'd recommend instead a popular book by an expert, such as Geroch, General Relativity from A to B, Wald, Space, Time, and Gravity, or Thorne, Black Holes and Time Warps, all of which are excellent. For advanced undergraduate physics majors, the textbooks by Hartle, Carroll, Schutz, D'Inverno, Stephani, OHanian and Ruffini, would all be excellent choices (there are still more which would not be bad, but these would all be particularly good first textbooks, I think).
 
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1. What is the equation for how much an object curves space-time?

The equation for how much an object curves space-time is known as the Einstein field equations. It is a set of ten equations that describe the relationship between the curvature of space-time and the distribution of matter and energy in the universe. The most famous equation from this set is E=mc^2, which relates mass and energy.

2. How does an object's mass affect the curvature of space-time?

An object's mass directly affects the curvature of space-time. The more massive an object is, the more it curves space-time around it. This is because mass is a form of energy and according to Einstein's theory of general relativity, energy and mass are equivalent and can bend space-time.

3. Can an object with no mass still curve space-time?

According to the theory of general relativity, any object or form of energy can cause curvature in space-time, regardless of its mass. This means that even light, which has no mass, can still bend space-time around it. This was famously proven by the bending of starlight during a solar eclipse, as predicted by Einstein's theory.

4. How does the curvature of space-time affect the behavior of objects?

The curvature of space-time affects the behavior of objects by determining their paths through space. Objects follow the curvature of space-time, which is influenced by the distribution of matter and energy in the universe. This is why objects in orbit around massive bodies, such as planets around the sun, follow curved paths rather than straight lines.

5. Is the equation for how much an object curves space-time the same as the equation for gravity?

No, the equation for how much an object curves space-time is not the same as the equation for gravity. While gravity is a force that attracts objects with mass, the equation for how much an object curves space-time describes the relationship between mass and energy and the curvature of space-time. However, the two concepts are closely related, as the presence of mass and energy causes the curvature of space-time, which in turn affects the force of gravity.

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