rudolfbaer said:Gravitation is described on one hand as curvature of space in the presence of matter.
It is also described as a field acting through gravitons on matter. How can the two views be reconciled?
rudolfbaer said:Gravitation is described on one hand as curvature of space in the presence of matter.
It is also described as a field acting through gravitons on matter. How can the two views be reconciled?
...does not allow any particular space-time background to be singled out as the "true" space-time background, general relativity is said to be background independent. In contrast, the Standard Model is not background independent, with Minkowski space enjoying a special status as the fixed background space-time. A theory of quantum gravity is needed in order to reconcile these differences.
According to the theory of general relativity, objects with mass cause a curvature in the fabric of space-time. This curvature is what we experience as the force of gravity. Essentially, it is the mass of an object that determines the amount of curvature it causes in space-time, and the strength of gravity is directly related to this curvature.
In field theory, gravity is explained as a force that acts between objects with mass. This is similar to other forces, such as electromagnetism, which are described by fields that transmit the force between objects. In contrast, the curvature of space theory does not rely on a force acting between objects, but rather on the intrinsic curvature of space-time itself.
The theory of general relativity, which explains gravitation as the curvature of space-time, is currently the most accepted and accurate description of gravitation. It has been extensively tested and has been able to accurately predict the behavior of gravitational phenomena, such as the orbit of planets and the bending of light by massive objects.
Yes, both the curvature of space theory and the field theory approach have been able to make accurate predictions about the behavior of gravity. However, the theory of general relativity has been able to make more precise and accurate predictions, especially in extreme conditions such as near black holes or during the early stages of the universe.
While the theory of general relativity is widely accepted, there are ongoing debates and research surrounding it, particularly in trying to reconcile it with quantum mechanics. Additionally, some scientists are exploring alternative theories of gravitation, such as modified theories of gravity or theories that incorporate both the curvature of space and field theory approaches.