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From warping the very fabric of the universe to causing time dilation, here are nine fascinating facts about gravity!
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The universe is made up of a fabric called space-time. Massive objects with mass cause curvature in it, which pulls other objects with lesser mass towards them. This is gravity.
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Earth’s gravity is unevenly distributed because of the uneven distribution of mass, such as mountains, valleys and basins. If gravity were to be visualised, it would be lumpy!
Simulation: NASA
The moon exerts a gravitational pull on Earth, causing high tides in regions of Earth that are closest and farthest from the moon. The regions between the two experience a low tide.
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Some 1.8 billion years ago, a day was 18 hours and 41 minutes long, much shorter than today’s 24-hour cycle. This is due to the Moon pulling away from the Earth at 3.8 cm per year.
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Gravity causes the denser cold water at the poles to sink and flow to the equator. The lighter warm water at the equator is pulled up and flows towards the poles, causing ocean currents.
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When light passes close to a massive object, space-time is so warped that it curves the path the light must follow, causing it to bend.
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Black holes are huge concentrations of matter packed in a tiny space, exerting such intense gravity that nothing, not even light, can escape their pull once they’re past the event horizon.
Simulation: NASA
Places where gravity is high, i.e., space-time is more curved, lead to time moving slower and vice versa. The more warped space-time is, the slower time moves.
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Einstein’s general relativity theory, which defines gravity as a curvature of space-time, breaks apart at the quantum level. This doesn’t mean it is incorrect; just that it's incomplete.
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