Geodesics in general relativity
Imagine you are walking on a curved path. If you walk in a straight line, you will actually be moving along a curved path. In space, the path that you follow is called a geodesic. Geodesics play an important role in general relativity, which is a theory of gravity.
In general relativity, the force of gravity is described as the curvature of space and time. When you are in a gravitational field, your path will be determined by this curvature. The shortest distance between two points in this curved space is called the geodesic.
A simple way to think of a geodesic is to imagine rolling a ball over a curved surface like a hill. If you roll the ball in a straight line, it will follow the curve of the hill. The path that the ball follows is the geodesic. Similarly, if you were to toss a ball into space, it would follow the geodesic of the space-time curvature caused by the presence of massive objects.
Geodesics are important because they explain how gravity affects the motion of objects in space. In fact, planetary orbits are simply the paths that objects follow along geodesics in space-time.
In summary, geodesics are the paths that objects follow in curved space-time. They are important in general relativity because they explain how gravity affects the motion of objects. Planetary orbits are simply the paths that objects follow on geodesics in space-time.
In general relativity, the force of gravity is described as the curvature of space and time. When you are in a gravitational field, your path will be determined by this curvature. The shortest distance between two points in this curved space is called the geodesic.
A simple way to think of a geodesic is to imagine rolling a ball over a curved surface like a hill. If you roll the ball in a straight line, it will follow the curve of the hill. The path that the ball follows is the geodesic. Similarly, if you were to toss a ball into space, it would follow the geodesic of the space-time curvature caused by the presence of massive objects.
Geodesics are important because they explain how gravity affects the motion of objects in space. In fact, planetary orbits are simply the paths that objects follow along geodesics in space-time.
In summary, geodesics are the paths that objects follow in curved space-time. They are important in general relativity because they explain how gravity affects the motion of objects. Planetary orbits are simply the paths that objects follow on geodesics in space-time.
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