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Say I have a massive object:

enter image description here

This object as we know causes spacetime to bend and curve. The "maximum curve" which I would define as the line in space time that runs directly through the center of the object has the maximum displacement from the space time of zero. This "maximum curve" would take the shape similar to a upside down bell curve or a upside down first derivative of a logistic function:

enter image description here enter image description here

What would the derivative of the above functions mean? (either the derivative of the bell curve or the second derivative of the logistic function). What would each individual point on the derivative mean: acceleration at that point? Velocity?

I apologize if my wording is poor. I am simply a curious high school student who has completed only the most basic physics and calculus courses. Any help in simplifying my questions or my descriptions would be welcome.

Qmechanic
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user15836
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1 Answers1

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That picture is only an analogy of spacetime, but it is not how spacetime works. The curvature of spacetime is sadly much more complicated than a bent sheet, so the function that describes this curve is not really very meaningful. It's just an illustration, not a description of how gravity actually is.

Javier
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