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I am a high school student studying about gravitational waves. I hope they are similar to other waves like sound waves, etc. So I what to know exactly what oscillates in a gravitational wave. Like in sound waves, density of a medium oscillates over its maximum and minimum value. I wonder what could be oscillating?

Vincent Thacker
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Rusics
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1 Answers1

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In general, a wave is a disturbance traveling in some medium. For example, a sound wave is a disturbance travelling through air. A wave at the beach is a disturbance travelling through the water. A light wave (which does not need a medium) is a disturbance in the electromagnetic field, traveling as an oscillating electromagnetic wave.

Gravitational waves are disturbances or ripples in spacetime.

I wonder what could be oscillating?

Following the same logic, it is spacetime itself that is oscillating.

I hope they are similar to other waves like sound waves, etc. So I what to know exactly what oscillates in a gravitational wave.

Gravitational waves are different in their structure. They are emitted from a system when the system has a time varying (mass) quadrupole moment.

joseph h
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