How does mass create gravity?

Question

Why does physical matter attract other things towards it?

The bigger something is, the more it pulls things in - but why?

Answer 1

No one knows how.  One of the first experiments to be done on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN Switzerland will be to look for the theorectical, elusive Higgs boson.

The theory is that the Higgs boson causes particles to act like mass (and therefore have inertia and emit gravity force) when it interacts with a quantum or to act massless (and have no inertia or gravity force) when it does not interact with it.  If the boson can be found, then the particulate nature of gravity (i.e., the graviton) will seem more likely.

To date, we have four fundamental forces in our universe: strong and weak atomic, that hold nuclei together; electromagnetic, and gravity.  Only gravity remains unexplained by some sort of quantum (e.g., the graviton); the other three stem from quanta that have been observed in the labs.  So, my guess, gravity is also a quantum; why would it not be if the other three are?  Anyway, we hope the LHC will shed some light on how mass creates the force of gravity.

Answer 2

Mass doesn't create gravity. Gravity is a property of mass...like wetness is a property of water...like positive and negative poles are a propery of magnetic fields.

Answer 3

Einstein's theory of General Relativity (1915) is a cause and effect theory. The theory describes the fabric of space-time as a medium that may be distorted by the presence of mass and energy. From his earlier relativity theory, Einstein had related mass and energy in the famous equation: -

E = mc²

From this concept, he described the curvature or distortion of space-time as due to the total sum of mass-energy present within the region of distorted space. It is the curvature of space-time we call gravity. Thus, our planet follows the 'straightest' path or path of least action whilst it orbits the mutually curved space around the Sun. An object falling to earth, under the pull of gravity, is following the curvature of space in the region around the surface of the Earth. Einstein described the relationship between space-time curvature and the mass-energy causing it, in the tensor field equation: -

G = 8πT

Where 'G' is the Einstein tensor representing the 'gravity' or curvature of space-time and 'T' is the total energy tensor representing the mass-energy creating the gravitational curvature of the space-time.

Within Einstein's Theory of General Relativity, time is the fourth dimension - so that space and time become space-time. This fourth dimension is then incorporated into calculations of the 'metric' or measure of a small element 'ds' of (here flat or Minkowski) space, in an equation of the type: -

ds² = dx² + dy² + dz² - c²dt²

Thus, in relativistic calculations time becomes a fourth dimension

The theory, accurately predicts many features of the solar system, such as the peculiar motion of Mercury’s perihelion, and may be used to account for the gravitational physics of black holes and neutron stars. The extreme high pressure physics at the core of a star may be described using this theory. General relativity also predicted the Big Bang origin of the universe, although Einstein refused to accept the conclusion. He later claimed that this erroneous conclusion was his biggest blunder. Overall, after ninety-three years, General Relativity is still the best theory of gravity that we have!

Answer 4

According to the common understanding, mass bends space-time fabric, which creates the afore-mentioned "dimples", making other objects slide towards that mass.

I have a theory on how exactly does mass do that. Presence of mass slows the time down (can't explain how and why, though), so nearer the mass time flows slower than further away from mass. This difference in the flow of time makes objects slide towards the mass. This can be compared to refraction of light in a prism: light slows down when it enters the prism, and this makes the ray of light bend towards the centre of the prism.

Hope that makes sense.

Answer 5

Einstein's explanation, which was a major part of his Theory of General Relativity, was that a massive object like a star or planet actually warps or curves space-time rather like the depression you would get by stepping on a trampoline.  Your mass causes a depression in the stretchy fabric. Now roll a ball past the warp at your feet and it’ll curve toward your mass. The heavier you are, the more you bend space and if you look towards the edges of the trampoline, the warp lessens the farther it is from your mass.

When objects are in orbit, their rotational speed is such that the ground curves away from the object at least at the same rate as the object is free-falling towards it.  At a specific speed, dependent on the mass of the planet, the object achieves escape velocity and effectively breaks free of the planet's gravity.  Conversely, if the object’s speed reduces, the effect of gravity will increase and the orbit will decay until it strikes the ground (or hopefully lands safely in the case of the Space Shuttle).

Answer 6

interesting question.

Answer 7

Gravity is a fundamental property of matter.

There is no "how"...

It's just: "by definition."

Answer 8

We don't know.  The best current theory has to do with distortion of space time and the evidence supports that (like like bending near large objects) but HOW it happens is still being studied.  There has been research looking for gravity waves and the equivalent of photons, but so far, not so good.

Answer 9

the same reason the dinosaurs are extinct. cuz you touch yourself at night

Answer 10

According to the hypothesis of L. Ron Hubbard,

The existence of mass within space causes a dimple in space.

A direct 2 dimensional example that he gave was as follows:

Imagine a flat piece of rubber. This is space. Now imagine pinching the bottom of the rubber, or putting a heavy object on it. The change in depth of the rubber will cause other objects to slowly move towards it.

As you would have guessed, putting an object that has a large mass but a small 2d surface area (or volume in  reality) on the rubber, it will have a larger dimple. If you put a sufficiently heavy mass in a very small space, you can break through the rubber. This is a metaphor for a black hole, a god-like celestial body hypothesized by L. Ron Many years before it was proven.

Answer 11

Sorry - HAD to add that L.Ron Hubbard DID NOT originate those ideas above.

Thats an outragous claim !