If I swing my arm, it can emit gravitational waves?

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SUMMARY

Swinging your arm can theoretically emit gravitational waves, similar to how moving your arm in water generates water waves. However, the mass must accelerate in a non-spherically symmetric manner to produce detectable gravitational waves. The power emitted from such an action is negligible, making it practically undetectable. Future advancements in gravitational wave detection technology will provide more insights into this phenomenon.

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If I swing my arm, it can emit gravitational waves??

If I swing my arm, it can emit gravitational waves??

Thank you in advance!
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Yes, just as by winging your arm while swimming you can make it emit water waves.

However, the accelerating mass required to produce gravitational waves has to move in a non-spherically symmetric way and the power emitted by just swinging your arm is vanishingly small.

We will know more when gravitational waves are actually detected!

Garth
 

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