Is momentum conserved as a body falls through a gravitational field?

In summary, momentum is not conserved for a single body falling through a gravitational field when considering the system in isolation, as the gravitational force acts on the body, causing a change in momentum. However, if the system includes both the falling body and the Earth, momentum is conserved overall, as the increase in the body's momentum is balanced by an equal and opposite change in the Earth's momentum.
  • #36
cianfa72 said:
Why not ? Could you be more specific ?
Because the energy and momentum "stored in a gravitational field" cannot be localized the way energy and momentum stored in an EM field can be. In more technical language, there is no stress-energy tensor for the "gravitational field" in GR, the way there is for the EM field.
 
  • Like
Likes cianfa72

Similar threads

I Macroscopic objects in free-fall
Replies
31
Views
995
B Mechanics behind curved time causing gravitation/geodesics
Replies
27
Views
5K
I Potential energy and the gravitational field of a collapsing cloud of gas
Replies
1
Views
869
I Time Dilation in Gravitational Fields vs Acceleration on Earth
Replies
7
Views
2K
I Detecting Gravitational Waves w/ Interferometers: Explained
Replies
12
Views
2K
I Uniform gravitational field possible in GR?
Replies
22
Views
2K
I Can an object fall into a black hole at faster that the speed of light?
Replies
7
Views
2K
I General Relativity: Angular Momentum, Gravity & Questions
Replies
7
Views
1K
I Gravity: Force or Acceleration?
2
Replies
69
Views
5K
I Stress-energy tensor and energy/momentum conservation clarification
Replies
21
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top