Gravitational Waves
Alexander Zhang, Larry Wang
Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves in 1916, 100 years before it was discovered. It was part of his ground-breaking theory of general relativity. The confirmation of gravitational waves took place at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). Scientists had to measure a distance that was equal to 1/1000th the width of a proton, in the order of magnitude of 11018 meters.
There are many concepts of Einstein’s theory of General Relativity, one of which is the concept of gravitational waves. Gravitational waves are when one celestial object orbits another celestial object.
As you now know, gravitational waves are created by the acceleration of a celestial body, whether it is orbiting another celestial body or colliding with another celestial body. Yet, this is not all of the ways gravitational waves are produced. Inflation is another way gravitational waves are produced. Gravitational waves affect the polarisation (the way the wave moves back and forth) of the cosmic microwave background, which is essentially some electromagnetic radiation left behind from the earlier stage of the universe after the Big Bang. Incredibly sensitive instruments can measure the strength of the polarisation produced by the waves. The results give a figure of the amount of energy involved at the time of inflation and help determine when the inflation occurred, thus determining when the gravitational waves occurred.
Gravitational waves do not have a huge impact on our daily lives, but they do tell us about the past. Physicists use them to learn the history of the universe. Einstein was able to predict the existence of something 100 years before its discovery. Gravitational waves may be a key in figuring out the creation of the universe.
1. Artist, Karl Tate Infographics. “How Gravitational Waves Work (Infographic).”Space.com, 17 Mar. 2014, 10:45 AM, www.space.com/25089-how-gravitational-waves-work-infographic.html.
2. “What Are Gravitational Waves?” LIGO Lab | Caltech, www.ligo.caltech.edu/page/what-are-gw.
3. NASA, NASA, spaceplace.nasa.gov/gravitational-waves/en/.
4. “Gravitational Waves.” What Is a Gravitational Wave?| Explore, www.physics.org/article-questions.asp?id=138.
5. Bushwick, Sophie. “What Are Gravitational Waves And Why Do They Matter?” Popular Science, 12 Jan. 2016, www.popsci.com/whats-so-important-about-gravitational-waves
“Gravitational Wave Astronomy.” Gravitational Wave Astronomy — Einstein Online, www.einstein-online.info/elementary/gravWav/gw_astronomy.
“Gravitational Waves.” Gravitational Waves — Einstein Online, www.einstein-online.info/spotlights/gravWav.
Twilley, Nicola. “How the First Gravitational Waves Were Found.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2017, www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/gravitational-waves-exist-heres-how-scientists-finally-found-them.
Writer, Mike Wall Space.com Senior. “Epic Gravitational Wave Detection: How Scientists Did It.” Space.com, www.space.com/31913-how-scientists-detected-gravitational-waves-ligo.html.