Does Mass or Size Affect Curvation in Relativity?

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Hepic
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Curvature
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

In General Relativity (GR), the curvature of space-time is influenced by the stress-energy tensor, which encompasses not only mass density but also momentum, pressure, and stress. The discussion clarifies that both the mass and size of an object contribute to its gravitational effects, but the primary factor is the mass density. A larger object with the same mass as a smaller one does not necessarily create a "deeper" curvature; rather, the curvature is determined by the overall energy density and the distribution of that energy as described by the stress-energy tensor.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of General Relativity principles
  • Familiarity with the stress-energy tensor
  • Knowledge of mass-energy equivalence
  • Basic concepts of gravitational curvature
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the stress-energy tensor in detail
  • Explore the implications of mass density on gravitational fields
  • Learn about the role of momentum and pressure in GR
  • Investigate how different forms of energy contribute to space-time curvature
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, students of theoretical physics, and anyone interested in the intricacies of General Relativity and gravitational effects on space-time.

Hepic
Messages
118
Reaction score
0
General Relativity says that every object that has mass make a curvation to space-time.
Ι want to ask from what depends the curvation. Only from his mass? It depends from the size of object?

For example let's say that we have one object with 10 meter size,and an other with 1000,but they have the same mass,then: Whose curvation will be "deeper" to space-time? Whose curvation will be "bigger" in ratio?

(I think that the bigger size makes the bigger ratio and the bigger mass makes the deeper curvation. I just suppose,I do not know.)
So can you help me?
Thank you !
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Hepic said:
General Relativity says that every object that has mass make a curvation to space-time.
Ι want to ask from what depends the curvation. Only from his mass? It depends from the size of object?
In GR the source of curvature is not only mass density, it is the entire stress energy tensor. The Wikipedia article has a good description of the various terms in the stress energy tensor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress–energy_tensor

Note, not only does energy density contribute, but so does momentum, pressure, and stress.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
2K
  • · Replies 25 ·
Replies
25
Views
4K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • · Replies 23 ·
Replies
23
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • · Replies 32 ·
2
Replies
32
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
5K