Gravitational dilation
Gravitational dilation refers to the fact that time passes at different rates in gravitational fields of different strengths. The stronger the gravitational field, the more slowly time progresses. This is a central consequence of general relativity. Gravitational dilation means the slowing of time due to gravity. A clock positioned closer to a massive body (such as the Earth) runs more slowly than a clock located farther away. The phenomenon arises from the curvature of spacetime caused by mass. Gravity is not a force in the Newtonian sense, but a geometric deformation that also affects the flow of time. The deeper one is in a gravitational well, the more time is stretched. - satellite clocks run faster than clocks on the Earth’s surface because they are in a weaker gravitational field - time passes more quickly in the mountains than at sea level - near a black hole, time slows dramatically |
