Can Gravitational Waves Actually Harm Us or Destroy Planets?

[Charlie G]

I was just wondering what it would feel like if I was hit by a decently powerful gravitational wave.
Would I feel pulled to the source of the wave?
Is there tidal forces present that might stretch me?
Could a gravitational wave actually kill me? Or destroy things like planets?

 

[Naty1]

See this thread..a current discussion:

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=289523

Gravity waves in the universe are extremely weak, barely detectable even via state of the art equipment...

 

[Entropia]

It is difficult to accurately predict how a person would feel if they were hit by a gravitational wave, as it is a concept that has not yet been fully explored. However, based on current understanding, it is unlikely that a person would physically feel the effects of a gravitational wave. Gravitational waves are extremely weak and pass through matter without interacting with it, so they would not cause a sensation of being pulled towards their source.

That being said, if a person were close enough to a powerful gravitational wave, they may experience tidal forces. These are the stretching and squeezing forces that occur when an object is subjected to a strong gravitational field. However, these forces would likely only be significant near the source of the wave and would decrease as you moved away from it.

As for the potential destructive power of a gravitational wave, it is highly unlikely that it could harm or destroy living beings or planets. Gravitational waves are produced by extremely massive and energetic events, such as the collision of black holes or the explosion of massive stars. However, by the time these waves reach us, they have traveled vast distances and have been significantly weakened. So while they may have the ability to distort space and time, they do not possess the energy to cause physical harm on a large scale.

Overall, the effects of a gravitational wave on a person would likely be minimal and imperceptible. But they do hold immense potential for advancing our understanding of the universe and its most mysterious phenomena.