Can somebody give a rudimentary explanation of space-time and how it relates to curvature in space?

Question

Also, from a reference point such as earth, an object lets say a radio wave passes by the sun (the sun creates a large curvature in space) it bends and actually takes a finite more amount of time to come back its point of origin, has time actually slowed? I am scratching my head trying to grasp this concept please help, any corrections are appreciated.

Answer 1

First a correction to your assumption about a signal returning to its origin (..."it bends and actually takes a finite more amount of time to come back its point of origin...") Recent research has implied that our universe is geometrically 'flat,' meaning that basically it's infinite. Under those circumstances the signal would never return to its origin.

What is space-time..? First of all, time itself is not a *natural* feature of our universe. Time is not absolute, as though there's some Cosmic Master Clock that ticks off the correct time for the whole universe. Time is strictly a concept invented by sentient beings like us to separate events. What's known as 'space-time' is an extension of our concept of time that embraces space. It takes time to move through space from one point to another...space-time.

As you obviously understand, space itself is shaped by the masses within it through the medium of gravity. Imagine some region of space that's unaffected by any mass/gravity and so is undistorted. Assume two points, 'A' and 'B' in that region that a beam of light is to cross. Lets's say it would take 5 years for the trip. Now insert some great mass/gravity somewhere near the straight-line path between 'A' and 'B.' Space there is bent, and since everything moving through space must follow its shape, our light beam now might take as long as 6 years to get from 'A' to 'B.'

Answer 2

Curvature as related to gravitational forces is not how you imagine it, its more like a 360' spherical warping of the projection of linear 3 -Dimensional space that surrounds an object, its proportion related to the objects density, like interconnected bubbles of different size. The gravitational warping of space by the sun encompasses our entire solar system so anything in the solar system is already effected by the suns gravity, the intensity depending on its distance. Nothing really bends, it follows the contours of linear motion determined by 3 -dimensional euclidean space. Time is also a dimension of acceleration, movement requires a duration between 3 points of space, so time is very real, just not fixed, it is a unique perspective by the observer, as Einstein explained in GR.

Consider the theory of a black hole that traps light, We know light has no mass so gravity cant effect it, but the 3-D space beyond the event horizon is warped back to itself so the light traveling in a linear path towards the singularity gets looped back on itself when it moves in a straight line away from the way it came, like a marble that passes through a large plastic ball then contiunes around the inside wall in a straight line forever trying to get out!

Answer 3

The curves are caused by gravity bending light. Time is relative to speed and distance. By way of example only, get in a super rocket ship, point a special camera at a clock so that you can record the second hand moving for an hour. Assume that the clock will stay in focus. Depart in your ship at a rate from 0 to 186,282 miles per second. Stop after one hour, play back the video, and the hands on the clock will not move. However one hour has passed for you on the ship, and one hour has passed on the clock. From that point travel back at the same speed and the clock hands will move twice as fast forward.

Answer 4

If you want to grasp this subject, read Michael Crichton's
book -"SPHERE" -ITS AWESOME BELIEVE ME .