Is Gravity a force or the absence of a force

In summary, the graviton is a hypothetical particle that is thought to be responsible for gravity. It has been suggested that gravity may be the result of the graviton's interaction with mass, although this has not been conclusively proven. Additionally, it has been proposed that gravity may have a potential energy, although this has also not been conclusively proven.
  • #1
genphis
52
2
One thing that puzzles me is that, we are looking for the elusive graviton as a medium for transferring gravity. But if gravity is possibly the absence of force (just a thought ) what would we be looking for. Mass manipulates the fabric of space causing gravity wells or sumps as such. but does gravity have any electro-magnetic potential that can be measured.

can someone please point me in the right direction?
 
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  • #2
Gravity cannot be the absence of a force. It is, by definition, one of the 4 fundamental forces of nature. Don't be confused by the "force" term. It is more accurate to describe the fundamental forces as "interactions" instead. Basically it just means that objects affect other objects using one of these 4 ways, which we label as interactions or forces.

Gravitation is described extremely well by General Relativity, and any attempt to describe it as an "absence of force" would probably be horribly complex and make practically zero sense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_interaction

Is also does have a potential.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_potential
 
  • #3
genphis said:
if gravity is possibly the absence of force

It depends on how you define "force". If you define it the way Drakkith did, as an "interaction"--basically "a way that things can affect each other"--then gravity is a "force". But in General Relativity, the strict definition of "force" is "something that causes proper acceleration". Gravity does *not* do that--objects whose motion is affected only by gravity are in free fall and feel zero acceleration; their proper acceleration is zero. So in this sense, gravity is *not* a "force".
 
  • #4
Yes, I took "absence of force" to mean the absence of something that causes an interaction, not the absence of something that causes proper acceleration.
 
  • #6
is not acceleration a constant factor in our experience of the universe. if we are orbiting the sun, and our galaxy spinning is not gravity a byproduct of momentum. Are we not falling around the curvature of the space-time fabric. And because mass bends space we experience gravity at different intensity depending on the mass in our proximity.So by that definition Earth creates a more intense curvature of space than the moon so walking on Earth is feels like you are being pulled down more because the incline is steeper. that again is just an assumption on my part.
 
  • #7
That is essentially correct, yes.
 
  • #8
thanks for enlightenment
 

1. Is gravity a force or the absence of a force?

Gravity is considered to be a force that exists between all objects with mass. It is the force that pulls objects towards each other, such as the Earth and the moon. However, some scientists also view gravity as the curvature of space-time caused by the presence of mass.

2. How does Newton's law of gravitation support the idea of gravity as a force?

Newton's law of gravitation states that the force of gravity between two objects is directly proportional to their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This law demonstrates that there is a force acting between objects with mass, supporting the idea of gravity as a force.

3. What is the difference between gravity and other fundamental forces?

Gravity is often considered to be the weakest of the four fundamental forces, which also include the strong nuclear force, the weak nuclear force, and the electromagnetic force. Gravity is unique in that it affects all objects with mass, while the other forces only act on specific particles.

4. Can gravity be explained by quantum mechanics?

Currently, there is no unified theory that explains gravity within the framework of quantum mechanics. While the other fundamental forces have been successfully described by quantum theories, scientists are still working to understand the connection between gravity and quantum mechanics.

5. Is it possible for gravity to be turned off or manipulated?

There is currently no known way to turn off or manipulate gravity. However, scientists are researching ways to create artificial gravity, such as through centrifugal force, which could be useful for future space exploration and travel. The force of gravity is a fundamental aspect of our universe, making it difficult to completely eliminate or manipulate.

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