Does Gravity's Speed Affect Paper Falling During a Clap?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the relationship between the speed of gravity and the falling of a piece of paper during a clap. It is established that gravity travels at the speed of light, which means that any gravitational influence from the Earth has already reached the paper before it falls. The conversation highlights that, according to general relativity, the local gravitational field is already curved, creating an immediate sensation of gravitational force. Additionally, the concept of gravitons in quantum physics suggests that any gravitational effects are felt instantaneously, negating any delay in the paper's movement.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of general relativity and its implications on gravity
  • Basic knowledge of quantum physics and the concept of gravitons
  • Familiarity with the speed of light as a universal constant
  • Concept of gravitational fields and their effects on objects
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the principles of general relativity and their application to gravitational fields
  • Explore the role of gravitons in quantum physics and their implications for gravity
  • Study the speed of light and its significance in the context of gravitational interactions
  • Investigate the effects of gravitational fields on falling objects in various scenarios
USEFUL FOR

Students of physics, educators in the field of gravitational studies, and anyone interested in the interplay between gravity and motion will benefit from this discussion.

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Greetings, I learned that the speed of gravity is the speed of light as einstein predicted that once the sun disappears, the Earth would not instantaneously fly out of its orbit but only after an approximate 8 mins then the Earth would spin out of its gravitational field tangent to the circle as it takes approximately 8 minutes for light from the sun to reach earth.

Ok imagine yourself on ground level on earth. Both of ur palms are together with a piece of paper in between. Logic tells us that the paper falls when both palms are separate. My question is:

Since gravity travels at the speed of light, if we can complete a single " oscillation of ' clapping ' before the gravity from the centre of the Earth reaches the paper, would the paper even move (fall)? Though i know that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light..
 
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before you start, gravity from the center of the Earth has already reached the paper... goodnight un'
 
cesiumfrog said:
before you start, gravity from the center of the Earth has already reached the paper... goodnight un'

Yes, there's that. It also wouldn't work because the gravity from the Earth has already reached you. If you're talking about general relativity, the space around you is already curved according to the shape of the earth, and this will give the instantaneous appearance of a gravitational force. If you're talking about quantum physics, then gravitons that left the Earth earlier have already reached you, and so there's no time delay in feeling the gravitational force.

The time delay predicted by the finite speed of gravity will only allow you to detect changes in the local gravitational field.
 

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