Why Does Matter Fall to Center of a Mass? Explained

In summary: Gravity_of_EarthIn summary, the curvature of spacetime near the Earth is spherically symmetric, causing all matter to fall towards the center of mass. Pictures depicting 2D curved space and no time are not accurate representations of 4D spacetime.
  • #1
Tomer Aman
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TL;DR Summary
Why does all mater fall into the center of the mass and not down towards the curveture that the mass creates in spacetime?
Hi Guys.
I have a question about General Relativity.
If, according to GR, Mass curves Spacetime and gravity is simply matter falling into that curveture, why does all matter fall equally regardless to their spatial position on the mass. For example, why do people in let's say Australia fall into the center of the earth, and not down towards the curveture that Earth creates in 4d spacetime? Does it have something to do with the fact that its 4d and not 3d as the pictures show? Thanks
 
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  • #2
:welcome:

What pictures are you looking at?

The "curvature" of spacetime is indeed in 4D, including "curvature" of the time dimension.

The important point is that the curvature near the Earth is spherically symmetric - so all around the Earth it looks the same.

And, the effect of the curvature is that the natural path for an object tends to be towards the centre of the Earth.
 
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  • #3
Tomer Aman said:
Does it have something to do with the fact that its 4d and not 3d as the pictures show?
It's not really possible to accurately show spacetime on a 2D piece of paper so you won't see ANY graphic representations that are actually correct. They are heuristics for discussions with beginners / lay people and are not to be taken seriously.
 
  • #4
Tomer Aman said:
Summary:: Why does all mater fall into the center of the mass and not down towards the curveture that the mass creates in spacetime?
Matter doesn't fall down towards the curvature. Instead spacetime curvature tells matter which path it falls and that is towards the center of mass.
 
  • #5
Tomer Aman said:
Does it have something to do with the fact that its 4d and not 3d as the pictures show?
The pictures you probably refer to are just showing 2d curved space and no time. This might help:

 
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FAQ: Why Does Matter Fall to Center of a Mass? Explained

What is the concept of center of mass?

The center of mass is the point in an object or system where the mass is evenly distributed in all directions. It is the point at which the object or system can be balanced and will not rotate under the influence of gravity.

Why does matter fall towards the center of mass?

Matter falls towards the center of mass due to the force of gravity. All objects with mass have a gravitational pull, and the larger the mass, the stronger the gravitational pull. The center of mass is the point where the gravitational force is concentrated, causing matter to be pulled towards it.

What factors affect the center of mass?

The center of mass is affected by the distribution of mass within an object or system. The position of the center of mass can change if the distribution of mass changes, such as when objects are added or removed. Additionally, the position of the center of mass can be affected by external forces, such as gravity or applied forces.

How does the center of mass relate to stability?

The center of mass is directly related to an object's stability. If the center of mass is located within the base of support, the object is stable and will not topple over. However, if the center of mass is located outside of the base of support, the object is unstable and will fall over.

Can the center of mass be outside of an object?

Yes, the center of mass can be located outside of an object. This is especially true for irregularly shaped objects, where the mass is not evenly distributed. In these cases, the center of mass may be located at a point outside of the object's physical boundaries.

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