I am just 16 and curious to learn about Theory of Relativity. Can any one explain it simple enough for me to understand? I read that it is bending of time-space or space-time that causes gravity. How can bending of time takes place?
Answer
When we use the terms "bending" or "warping" with respect to spacetime and gravity, you have to keep in mind that these words are not being used in a literal way. Since the majority of concepts in General Relativity are far beyond what our experiences allow us to comprehend, we have come up with a few ways of picturing these concepts in our minds, none of which are very accurate, but it helps us relate to it all.
Gravity doesn't literally bend spacetime. What it actually does is modify the spacetime interval. This modification can cause straight paths to appear to bend and time durations to alter to an outside observer. Because one of our convenient ways of thinking about spacetime is as one interwoven fabric where the border between time and space is a bit fuzzy, we say that gravity can "bend" or "warp" spacetime and alter the shape of this fabric/surface/whatever.
So to answer your question, time does not literally "bend". A massive object modifies the proper time interval around it such that an outside observer would see objects near the mass experience less time and spacetime intervals would have their spatial components modified accordingly. But that is a lot to say. It's much easier for us to simply say that gravity is spacetime being warped.
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