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cianfa72
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However, as you highlighted before, even in this case the body's COM continues to follow a geodesic path in free-fall.PeterDonis said:
I Macroscopic objects in free-fall
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The discussion centers on the behavior of macroscopic objects in free-fall, particularly regarding internal electromagnetic forces and their impact on the object's center of mass (COM). It is established that while individual constituents may experience non-geodesic paths due to these internal forces, the overall motion of the object's COM remains geodesic in a gravitational field. The conversation also touches on the concept of "center of mass" versus "center of energy," especially in systems involving massless particles like light. Tidal effects are discussed, noting that significant curvature can alter the shape and behavior of objects, yet the COM still follows a geodesic path. Ultimately, the interplay between internal forces and gravitational effects is clarified, emphasizing that the COM's trajectory is unaffected by internal dynamics during free-fall.