Glossary
From Gravipedia
Key Terms in Gravitational Physics
- Gravity
- A fundamental force of nature that attracts objects with mass towards each other. It is the force that keeps planets in orbit around the Sun and causes objects to fall to the ground.
- Spacetime
- The four-dimensional continuum of space and time in which all physical events occur. According to the theory of general relativity, gravity is a result of the curvature of spacetime.
- General Relativity
- A theory of gravity developed by Albert Einstein in the early 20th century, which describes gravity not as a force, but as a consequence of the curvature of spacetime caused by the presence of mass and energy.
- Black Hole
- A region of spacetime where the gravitational field is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. Black holes are formed by the gravitational collapse of massive stars.
- Gravitational Waves
- Ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by the accelerated motion of massive objects, such as colliding black holes or neutron stars. Gravitational waves were first directly detected in 2015 by the LIGO observatory.
- Gravitational Lensing
- The bending of light by the gravitational field of a massive object, such as a galaxy or a cluster of galaxies. This effect was one of the early confirmations of Einstein's theory of general relativity.
