Newton assumed that a gravitational force acts directly between Earth and the Moon. How does Einstein's view of the attractive force between the two bodies differ from Newton's view?
Perhaps what the question is getting at is that Einstein perceived the gravitational potential as a property of the space containing the various bodies and dips in the fabric of the space or potential wells as a massive object is neared.
Einstein's view of the attractive force between Earth and the Moon differs from Newton's in several important ways.
Firstly, according to Newton's theory of gravity, the force between two objects depends solely on their masses and the distance between them. This concept is often referred to as "action at a distance." Newton assumed that the gravitational force acts instantaneously, no matter how far apart the objects are.
On the other hand, Einstein's theory of general relativity proposes an entirely different understanding of gravity. According to general relativity, massive objects like the Earth and the Moon actually curve the fabric of space-time around them, creating what is often visualized as a "gravity well." Instead of a direct force acting between the Earth and the Moon, it's the curvature of space-time that causes the Moon to experience a gravitational pull towards the Earth.
In Einstein's view, the Moon travels along a curved path in space-time influenced by the Earth's presence, rather than being directly pulled by a force. This picture of gravity is known as the warping of space-time. It suggests that the Moon moves in a curved trajectory because it is following the curvature of space-time created by the Earth.
Furthermore, Einstein's theory of relativity predicts that the gravitational force also affects the flow of time. Time runs slower in stronger gravitational fields, so clocks on the Moon would actually tick faster than clocks on Earth due to the Moon experiencing a weaker gravitational field.
To understand Einstein's view of gravity and its implications fully, one must delve into the mathematical formulation of general relativity. This involves complex concepts such as tensors, curved spacetime, and Einstein's field equations. Gaining a thorough understanding of these concepts typically requires a background in advanced mathematics and physics.