gravitational radiation

noun

: a series of gravitational waves
also : the generation of such waves (as by a celestial object)

Examples of gravitational radiation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Much like starlight, gravitational waves are typically emitted in all directions, with gravitational radiation streaming outward in a spherical fashion from the source. Big Think, 21 June 2024 Experimentalists could not go straight from Einstein’s original predictions about gravitational radiation to building an apparatus capable of detecting a passing wave. Steve Nadis, Discover Magazine, 20 Apr. 2023 Merging black holes, spiraling white dwarfs, and spinning neutron stars all emit gravitational radiation. Korey Haynes, Discover Magazine, 11 Feb. 2016 Damour and his fellow researchers helped develop a theory describing the orbital motion and gravitational radiation as a result of two merging black holes, which played an important role in the direct detection of gravitational waves in 2016. Dhananjay Khadilkar, Ars Technica, 18 July 2022 In the last few years, however, gravitational wave astronomy has made great strides in detecting gravitational radiation rippling through spacetime at the speed of light. Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 10 Nov. 2021 Einstein first predicted that any accelerating mass should emit gravitational radiation in the form of waves. Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 10 Nov. 2021 This is also the speed that any form of pure radiation, such as gravitational radiation, must travel at, and also the speed, under the laws of relativity, that any massless particle must travel at. Ethan Siegel, Forbes, 12 May 2021 The infall of normal matter, dark matter, neutrinos, and even regular (electromagnetic) radiation vastly outstrips the energy gain from incoming gravitational radiation. Ethan Siegel, Forbes, 18 June 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gravitational radiation was in 1938

Dictionary Entries Near gravitational radiation

Cite this Entry

“Gravitational radiation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gravitational%20radiation. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

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