Gravity to surface and speed of stars

In summary, the law of gravity states that objects accelerate at a constant speed, but the closer you are to the surface of the earth, the stronger the gravitational pull. Time dilation does have an effect, but it is extremely small and insignificant on Earth. However, in the case of spiral galaxies, cosmologists must account for this relativistic behavior as the observed acceleration of stars differs from what is expected. This is due to the distance of the stars from the mass of the galaxy, which creates a small difference in the "speed of time". Overall, gravity depends on the amount of matter distorting space, and space pushes from all directions to create the semi-circular form of celestial bodies in an attempt to reach equilibrium where space is not affected
  • #1
Kristiandhd
23
0
the law of gravity states that objects accelerate at a constant speed, but I'm wondering that if you take into consideration that time travels slower the closer you are to the surface of the earth. doesn't that imply that although it seems to us that it is constant acceleration that, it is actually accelerating at a faster rate as it falls.

maybe this would also explain why stars on the outside of a spiral galaxy seems to us to travel faster when they shouldn't be. when in reality it is that time travels faster the farther you get from matter because less space is being altered.

so it is space pushing us into the mass, and gravity depends on the amount of matter distorting space. and space is pushing from all direction creating they semi circular from of celestial bodies to try and reach its equilibrium where space isn't being affected by matter?
 
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  • #2
The constant acceleration of 9.81 m/s2 on the surface of Earth is only an approximation. Newton's law of gravitation doesn't state that the acceleration is constant, but it is actually given by:
F=G(m1m2)/r2
This equation shows that the closer you are to a mass (a planet, for example), the stronger the gravitational pull.

That's classical physics, however. The effects of time dilation that you mention would have an extremely small effect on your observed acceleration, but it's such a small effect that it's insignificant on earth. Relativistic effects such as time dilation become significant only when dealing with extremely large quantities of space, time or mass. In the case of spiral galaxies, cosmologists are aware of the need to account for this relativistic behavior, and the behavior of the galaxies still differs from what we expect.
 
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  • #3
Those stars are quicker by a factor of roughly 2-3. If you would compress all mass in the milky way to a black hole, it would have a radius of ~1 light year, but the relevant stars have a distance of >20,000 light years. This gives a factor of about 1.00005 for the relative "speed of time". Several orders of magnitude away from the observed effect. In addition, I am not sure if the sign fits at all.
 

FAQ: Gravity to surface and speed of stars

How does gravity affect the surface of stars?

Gravity is responsible for holding the matter in a star together. The intense gravitational force at the core of a star causes the atoms to collide with each other, resulting in nuclear fusion which releases energy and creates the heat and light of a star. On the surface of a star, gravity determines the strength of the star's atmosphere and the shape of its surface.

How does the speed of stars relate to their mass?

The speed of a star is directly related to its mass. This is because the more massive a star is, the stronger its gravitational force will be, pulling it inward and causing it to rotate faster. This relationship is known as the mass-luminosity relation and is used to estimate the mass of stars based on their luminosity.

How does gravity affect the motion of stars within a galaxy?

Gravity plays a crucial role in determining the motion of stars within a galaxy. The gravitational pull of the center of the galaxy keeps the stars in their orbits, while the collective gravitational force of all the stars within the galaxy affects the overall shape and structure of the galaxy. Without gravity, the stars and galaxies would not exist in their current form.

What is the relationship between gravity and the speed of stars at different distances from the center of a galaxy?

The relationship between gravity and the speed of stars at different distances from the center of a galaxy is known as the rotation curve. In most galaxies, the stars closer to the center rotate faster than those farther away. This is because the closer stars are subjected to a stronger gravitational force from the central mass, causing them to move faster in their orbits.

How does the speed of stars affect the formation of planetary systems?

The speed of stars plays a crucial role in the formation of planetary systems. As stars rotate, they create a disk of gas and dust around them, known as a protoplanetary disk. The speed at which the star rotates determines the structure and composition of this disk, which in turn affects the formation and distribution of planets within the system.

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