Spacetime. Computer illustration showing the curvature of circular piece of spacetime due to the presence of a star, leading to the formation of a gra

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Spacetime. Computer illustration showing the curvature of circular piece of spacetime due to the presence of a star, leading to the formation of a gravitational well. Spacetime is shown here on a two-dimensional grid, with gravitational potential represented by a third dimension. A product of Einstein's theory of relativity, spacetime describes any event using four coordinates - three giving the position in space and one the time. In the presence of a gravitational field spacetime becomes curved. This curvature means that the shortest distance between two points is not usually a straight line but a curve. The curvature due to gravity results in light bending when it passes by a massive object.

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Size: 5000px × 3750px
Photo credit: © LAGUNA DESIGN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, artwork, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, curvature, einstein, field, gravitational, gravity, illustration, relativity, space, spacetime, star