how does gravity work?

Question

I have read all the other answers explaining the equation and the measurment and description of how to measure gravity. But I have never heard a description of how or why it actually works. Why do objects with mass attract? Like the answer to, "How do cars stop?" would be expained by the friction caused by the brake pad rubbing on the rotor thus impeding it's ability to keep turning.
I have never heard a gravity explanation expaining "why" or how gravity works like it does. The closest I have heard is the Einstien theory about the dent in the fabric of space that causes a "dip" that other objects go towards....but is this accepted as fact? Also, why would an object with mass dent space and time?

Answer 1

You haven't heard such an explanation, because there isn't one.

The fact of the matter is that gravity is the result of gravity fairies. Massive objects carry pixie dust, which the fairies attempt to collect in a central location by flapping their wings and pushing all massive objects together in a manner consistent with Einstein's and Newton's gravitational equations.

A slightly more "real" explanation might be forthcoming if we figure out a quantum theory of gravity. The deeper you dig, though, the more you find that at the bottom level, our explanations of the physical world are just a pile of equations. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Answer 2

To begin, your basic observation concerning the force of gravity performing work is correct. It seems as though many people disregard the fact that this force is continuously performing work. In order to do this an energy source must be present. If there is not a particular kind of energy forming this force, then this force is being created in all matter at all times (continuous creation).

The answer to your question lies in the physics trilogy: E = mc2, m = E/c2, and c2 = E/m. The first two equations describe the basis of creation. The first equation having the "c2" value as that of a multiplier and the second as a divisor. The "c2" value is that which describes physical time to us in its limitation - all that exists is present time. There is no other existence to us. The last equation is that for a field of physical time, or that of a field of gravity. This force (gravity) exists by reason of a mass/energy relationship. The energy in this equation is that of the heat energy within a mass. Were our planet to have no heat energy within, then it would have no gravitational field. Were the heat energy within to increase, the gravitational field would increase.

There is a site http://360.yahoo.com/noddarc that explains this. It is a short and easy to read writing "Concepts Concerning Time, Gravity and Energy". Recently I have completed an experiment to prove this. When I figure out how to post a gig of movie I'll post it.

Answer 3

Mr.Perry what you've heared about Einstien's theory is our understanding about gravity so far. Till date scientists are able to only account for what gravity is and we are not able to explain how it really works. Even then a theory called "Graviton theory" was proposed which attempts to explain how gravity works. We now know to explain light in terms of 'photons'. Similar to this idea Gravitons are considered to be tiny particles which are continuously exchanged between the objects, which in the macroscopic perspective is the gravitational force that exsists between them. But till date the presenceofGravitons is not proved.This is all I know. If you want a better understanding of basic forces of the nature , please look at the first part of documentary" The Elegant Universe" in google video. It's the best one I know.

Answer 4

Einstein's thought experiment about a light beam in an accelerating spaceship is the origin of the bending of space.

The key thing was that gravity and acceleration feel the same. Einstein went one step further and said that they *are* the same. The net result is that space (like a trampoline) has to bend when there is a mass there (the fat girl sitting in the middle). You can look it up for yourself because its a bit too long to explain here.

Answer 5

there are forces of attraction between objects
the bigger the object the bigger the attarction so the moon is in orbit around the earth because of this

and the planets are in orbit around the sun because of this

this attraction is called gravitaional force and is 9.82m/s*

on the moon it is less

when astronuts go on to the moon their weight drops

this is because
weight= massx acceleration of freefal (ie gravity)

so heir mass is the same but as g is less their weight is less

Answer 6

If you take a half bucket of water and spin real fast the water stays in the bottom even if you spin it upside down. The spinning of the earth does the same thing,whats so complicated about that. I'm sure there's alot more to it but thats the basics

Answer 7

My own theory is based on magnetism. I developed it after having so many MRI's and understanding how they work and how your body responds to an MRI and such.

Every atom of every mass has a magnetic property that reacts to the inner earth's magnetic core and the further you get away from it the less gravitational pull there is. i.e. space.

Answer 8

According to the theory of General Relativity, inertial motion occurs when objects are in free-fall instead of when they are at rest with respect to a massive object such as the Earth (as is the case in classical mechanics). This view of inertia creates a problem: In flat spacetimes such as those of classical mechanics and special relativity, there is no way that inertial observers can accelerate with respect to each other, as free-falling bodies can do as they are each accelerated towards the center of a massive object.

To deal with this difficulty, Einstein proposed that spacetime is curved by the presence of matter, and that free-falling objects are following the geodesics of the spacetime. More specifically, Einstein discovered the field equations of general relativity, which relate the presence of matter and the curvature of spacetime and are named after him. The Einstein field equations are a set of 10 simultaneous, non-linear, differential equations whose solutions give the components of the metric tensor of spacetime. A metric tensor describes a geometry of spacetime. The geodesic paths for objects in inertial motion in a spacetime are calculated from the metric tensor of that spacetime. Notable solutions of the Einstein field equations include:

The Schwarzschild solution, which describes spacetime surrounding a spherically symmetric non-rotating uncharged massive object. For compact enough objects, this solution generated a black hole with a central singularity. For radial distances from the center which are much greater than the Schwarzschild radius, the accelerations predicted by the Schwarzschild solution are practically identical to those predicted by Newton's theory of gravity.

The Reissner-Nordström solution, in which the central object has an electrical charge. For charges with a geometrized length which are less than the geometrized length of the mass of the object, this solution produces black holes with two event horizons.

The Kerr solution for rotating massive objects. This solution also produces black holes with multiple event horizons.
The cosmological Robertson-Walker solution, which predicts the expansion of the universe.

General relativity has enjoyed much success because of how its predictions have been regularly confirmed. For example:

General relativity accounts for the anomalous precession of the planet Mercury.

The prediction that time runs slower at lower potentials has been confirmed by the Pound-Rebka experiment, the Hafele-Keating experiment, and the GPS.

The prediction of the deflection of light was first confirmed by Arthur Eddington in 1919, and has more recently been strongly confirmed through the use of a quasar which passes behind the Sun as seen from the Earth.

The time delay of light passing close to a massive object was first identified by Shapiro in 1964 in interplanetary spacecraft signals.

Gravitational radiation has been indirectly confirmed through studies of binary pulsars.

The expansion of the universe (predicted by the Robertson-Walker metric) was confirmed by Edwin Hubble in 1929.

Dr. H

Answer 9

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Answer 10

no one actually knows how gravity works. There are many theories on it but its still all speculation right now.