Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory Office of Science NEWTON's Homepage NEWTON's Homepage
NEWTON, Ask A Scientist!
NEWTON Home Page NEWTON Teachers Visit Our Archives Ask A Question How To Ask A Question Question of the Week Our Expert Scientists Volunteer at NEWTON! Frequently Asked Questions Referencing NEWTON About NEWTON About Ask A Scientist Education At Argonne Gravity as a Force 
Name: janet l rust
Status: N/A
Age: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 1993 - 1999
Question:
According to Einstein, is gravity a force? Does gravity always behave like a force? Is gravity really a force? If so, why isn't there any "antigravity" in the Universe?

Replies:
According to Einstein's' theory, gravity is not a force. Every form of energy/mass is a source of gravitational field which appears as the curvature of space-time. Particles move in straight lines in these curved space-times. These straight lines of curved space-time need not be straight in flat space we're used to and think in. For example, Earth's orbit around sun is a 'straight line' !!

Jasjeet ( Jasjeet S Bagla )


Click here to return to the Astronomy Archives

NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.

For assistance with NEWTON contact a System Operator (help@newton.dep.anl.gov), or at Argonne's Educational Programs

NEWTON AND ASK A SCIENTIST
Educational Programs
Building 360
9700 S. Cass Ave.
Argonne, Illinois
60439-4845, USA
Update: June 2012
Weclome To Newton

Argonne National Laboratory
n b