Title: What Are Gravitational Waves
Course: Relativity > Section: Module 49: What Are Gravitational Waves

What Are Gravitational Waves?

In simple terms, gravitational waves are waves produced by accelerating masses, similar to how electromagnetic waves are produced by accelerating charges. When massive objects like black holes or neutron stars collide or orbit each other, they create disturbances in spacetime. These disturbances propagate outward at the speed of light as gravitational waves.

Key Features of Gravitational Waves:

- Speed: Gravitational waves travel at the speed of light (approximately 299,792 kilometers per second).
- Amplitude: They cause tiny changes in distances, stretching and compressing space as they pass through.
- Polarization: Gravitational waves have two polarization states, often referred to as “plus” and “cross” modes, which describe how they stretch and squeeze space in different directions.

Discovery of Gravitational Waves