Effect of Gravity get bent like light around another gravitational source

In summary, the conversation discusses the bending of light and gravitational waves around a gravitational source, as well as the effect of Earth's gravitational force on the Moon and Sun's gravitational effect on an object. It also mentions the similarities between high-frequency gravitational waves and electromagnetic waves. The concept of "field lines" in gravity and their relation to space-like geodesics is also mentioned, along with the importance of momentum conservation in this scenario. The question is posed whether the gravitational pull is felt by a satellite before passing through the Earth's Umbria, and if there is a mathematical evaluation for this occurrence.
  • #1
Philosophaie
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Does the effect of Gravity get bent like light around another gravitational source? If the object is close enough to the Earth does the Earth's gravitational force bent the Moon's or even the Sun's gravitational effect on that object before that "line of sight" event occurs. As Einstein's General Relativity was proven in 1919 with an solar eclipse of the Sun, light bents with a gravitational source why can't gravity.

Will a Satellite around Earth in Low Earth Orbit feel the Gravitational pull before passing from the protection of the Earth's Umbria or will it feel nothing until the Sun is directly in front of it? If so is there any mathematical evaluation of this occurrance?
 
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  • #2
Perturbations in the gravitational field obey the wave equation, whose characteristics are null surfaces and whose bicharacteristics are null geodesics. High-frequency gravitational waves follow null geodesics just the same as electromagnetic waves do.
 
  • #3
Light waves and high enough frequency gravity waves should ollow null geodesics.

Electric field lines and gravitational field lines (to the extent they exist, but I think they should work for static gravity) are best approximated as following space-like geodesics and not null geodesics.

Thus the force attracting the Earth to the sun is a central force, not a "lagged" central force. This is important for momentum conservation.

It's not quite clear if I've interpreted the OP's question correctly - I'm assuming he's thinking of "the effect of gravity" by what I call a "field line", a concept I've actually borrowed from electromagnetism.
 

1. How does gravity cause light to bend around another gravitational source?

Gravity is a force that causes objects with mass to be attracted to each other. According to Einstein's theory of general relativity, gravity can also bend the fabric of space-time. When light travels near a massive object, such as a star or a black hole, it is affected by the curvature of space-time and thus appears to bend.

2. What are some examples of the effect of gravity bending light?

One famous example is the observation of starlight bending around the sun during a solar eclipse. This was first confirmed in 1919 and provided evidence for Einstein's theory of general relativity. Another example is gravitational lensing, where the light from a distant galaxy is bent and distorted by the gravity of a massive galaxy in front of it.

3. Is the effect of gravity bending light significant in everyday life?

No, the effect of gravity bending light is only significant in extreme cases, such as near massive objects like stars and black holes. In everyday life, the effect is too small to be observed without specialized equipment.

4. How does the strength of gravity affect the amount of light bending?

The strength of gravity is directly proportional to the amount of light bending. This means that the more massive the object, the stronger its gravitational pull, and the more light will be bent around it.

5. Can we use the effect of gravity bending light for practical purposes?

Yes, gravitational lensing has been used in astronomy to study distant galaxies and in the search for exoplanets. It has also been proposed as a potential method for interstellar travel, where a spacecraft could use the gravity of a massive object to slingshot itself towards its destination.

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