Search for Gravitational Waves Coursework Assignment

Search for gravitational waves
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1 Who predicted gravitational waves and how are they created?
Albert Einstein, while developing ideas on general relativity, he calculated mathematics that predicted the arrival of a special occurrence now known as gravitational waves. The waves form when two objects such as stars, planets or black holes appear revolving around each other. The two objects merge, causing their movement to disrupt time in space; thereby creating ripples that look like waves. The waves embody distorted space, causing them to move as fast as light throughout the universe, carrying information of their origin and about gravity.
2. LIGO has observed gravitational waves from two types of events. What are they?
The LIGO researchers first directly observed the gravitational waves on 14 September 2015. The waves occurred when two black holes of thirty-six solar masses and twenty-nine solar masses spiraled, collided and combined, quickly rotating around each other. The two black holes then smashed into each other creating one large rotating black hole of 62 solar mass whose light was visible using telescopes from earth. The gravitational wave indicator lasted for about 0.2 seconds. Hours after detection of the waves, the scientists observed a source of optical light, which was 130 million light years away from the earth using telescopes in Chile. The light was from glowing debris caused by merging of the two black holes.
3. In your own words, what are the effects of a passing gravitational wave?
The effects of gravitational ...