• Question: How does gravity work.

    Asked by George to Craig, Marta, Natalie, Nicholas on 15 Mar 2017.
    • Photo: Marta Varela

      Marta Varela answered on 15 Mar 2017:

      Hi George.

      Traditionally, gravity is seens as a force that binds together things that have mass. In Einstein’s General Relativity theory, it is no longer seen as a force, but as a distortion in space-time. In other words, the more mass something has the more it bends the space around it, where other objects with mass are embedded. This distortion is space-time pulls everything with mass together and gives the impression of being a force (gravity).

      It is easier to understand this with pictures, as the ones in this cartoon: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=1853.

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