Gravity, according to Einstein's Theory of General Relativity (GR), is defined as the warping of space-time rather than a traditional force. Mass traveling through this warped space follows geodesics, which may appear curved in three-dimensional space. Both the curvature of time and space can be interpreted in ways that resemble forces, but the space curvature cannot be directly modeled as a force. Einstein's model provides superior predictions for phenomena such as gravitational time dilation and light bending compared to Newton's model.
PREREQUISITESPhysicists, students of theoretical physics, and anyone interested in the fundamental principles of gravity and space-time dynamics.
The best short answer is that both views are basically correct. Speaking rather loosely, given a particular coordinate system, the curvature of space-time can be reduced to a "curvature of time" and a "curvature of space". (For the more expert here, we are using the popular term "curvature" to describe the Christoffel symbols, and not the Riemann curvature tensor, and the above classification is slightly oversimplified).
The "time curvature" part of GR introduces both gravitational time dilation, and acts mathematically in the equations of motion (the geodesic equation) just as if it were a force.
The "space curvature" part of GR cannot, however, be directly modeled as a force.
So the space-time curvature model is a more complex model than a force model, because it includes ideas that can be interpreted as forces, and ideas that cannot be directly modeled only by forces.
Space-time not just space.messysmurf said:Gravity, as defined by Einstienien Theory, is a warping of space.
A free falling object travels on straight paths (geodesics) in wrapped space-time, which might look curved when projected onto space.messysmurf said:And any mass traveling through space will take the path of least inertial resistance, ie not necessarily a straight line, dependent on that warping of space.
Both models can be used to describe the common effect of mass attraction. But Einstein's model predicts some effects like light bending better than Newton's model, and gravitational time dilation which Newton doesn't predict at all.messysmurf said:So, is gravity a force, or just an expression of warped space, that happens to influence matter passing through it?