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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / How does LHS of EFE's relate to stress energy tensor in vacuum
« on: 19/12/2020 00:32:19 »
Just a novice trying to get an idea for how the EFE's work in general. If the stress energy tensor (right hand side) "vanishes in a vacuum", how is the vacuum above the surface of the earth described by the left hand side (geometry part) of the EFE's?
I think there is still curvature above the surface of the earth, and even if the curvature tensor is extremely small and the Einstein tensor approaches Newtonian, is seems like the Einstein tensor does not vanish above the surface of the earth, even though the stress energy tensor does.
So the equations are shown with the left hand side equated to the right hand side.
The right hand side vanishes in a vacuum.
There is a vacuum above the earth.
But there is still gravity above the earth. so the left hand side must still have non-vanishing values.
Yet the left hand side equals the right hand side which vanishes.
I think there is still curvature above the surface of the earth, and even if the curvature tensor is extremely small and the Einstein tensor approaches Newtonian, is seems like the Einstein tensor does not vanish above the surface of the earth, even though the stress energy tensor does.
So the equations are shown with the left hand side equated to the right hand side.
The right hand side vanishes in a vacuum.
There is a vacuum above the earth.
But there is still gravity above the earth. so the left hand side must still have non-vanishing values.
Yet the left hand side equals the right hand side which vanishes.