What is the Concept of Velocity and Acceleration in General Relativity?

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SUMMARY

The discussion clarifies that in General Relativity (GR), there is no absolute velocity or acceleration; each observer perceives the other as moving. Proper acceleration, which is the acceleration experienced by an observer along a specific world line, is invariant and crucial for understanding motion in GR. The concept of relativistic mass is deemed obsolete in modern physics, and gravitational potential differences do not imply absolute velocity distinctions. Readers are directed to further resources for a deeper understanding of these concepts.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of General Relativity (GR)
  • Familiarity with the concept of proper acceleration
  • Knowledge of observer-dependent phenomena in physics
  • Basic grasp of relativistic mass and its historical context
NEXT STEPS
  • Read about the implications of proper acceleration in General Relativity
  • Explore the concept of world lines in spacetime diagrams
  • Study the differences between Special Relativity (SR) and General Relativity (GR)
  • Investigate current perspectives on relativistic mass and its relevance in modern physics
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for physicists, students of theoretical physics, and anyone interested in the fundamental principles of motion and gravity in the context of General Relativity.

AngPhysics
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I am hoping someone can clarify some confusion I have. It is my understanding that there is no such thing as absolute velocity or acceleration in GR. If one observer is moving near the speed of light and the other is stationary each observer will see the other as in motion. But if they each throw a ball away from themselves the observer in motion, from my understanding, has a much larger gravitational potential than the observer at rest so their would be a feature that distinguishes between their "velocities".
 
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AngPhysics said:
It is my understanding that there is no such thing as absolute velocity or acceleration in GR.
While there is no absolute velocity, there is the concept of proper acceleration. This is the acceleration experienced by an observer following a particular world line and is invariant.

The same is true in SR.

AngPhysics said:
from my understanding, has a much larger gravitational potential
Your understanding is wrong. The concept of relativistic mass does not apply to gravitation and how GR couples the metric to matter content. The correct statement is significantly more complicated. I suggest reading my insight article on relativistic mass, which is an obsolete concept not used by most physicists today.
 
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Thank you for the direction!
 

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