Gravitational Waves: Is Gravity a Force in GR?

[Mononoke]

Hello,

I have a BA physics but I've never taken GR. My question is whether gravity is a force in GR? the answer i get everywhere is that it isn't a force, but rather the curvature of space. And objects moving under 'gravity' is simply them moving along a geodesic. But then i keep hearing the words gravitational waves and how they propagate at the velocity of light.

isn't this something like a force?

 

[Nabeshin]

No, not really. Gravitational waves are merely changes in the curvature in spacetime. They don't interact with particles directly, in the way a force does, but rather by means of altering the spacetime geometry change the geodesics, and thus can appear to exert a classical force.

 

[Passionflower]

No, not really. Gravitational waves are merely changes in the curvature in spacetime. They don't interact with particles directly, in the way a force does, but rather by means of altering the spacetime geometry change the geodesics, and thus can appear to exert a classical force.

You are stating that gravitational waves do not interact with a particle as a matter of fact. We do not know that.

For instance gravitational waves might interact with charged particles.

Bottom line is we simply do not know as we are not even close to being able to measure gravitational waves themselves.

 

[Mononoke]

No, not really. Gravitational waves are merely changes in the curvature in spacetime. They don't interact with particles directly, in the way a force does, but rather by means of altering the spacetime geometry change the geodesics, and thus can appear to exert a classical force.

oh ok. Maybe i should teach myself GR. Any decent introductory textbooks.