”Question: Are virtual gravitons somehow equivalent to the curvature of space?”

First since there is not now a consistent theory of quantum gravity, virtual gravitons or for that matter real gravitons are only hypothetical constructs. Second consider the following analogies:

A real photon is to an electromagnetic wave as a real graviton is to a gravity wave. A virtual photon is to the electromagnetic force as a virtual graviton is to the curvature of spacetime.

In either case the two different ways of looking at the same phenomenon can be mathematically explained but cannot be intuitively explained. However, loosely, you could say that that the number of virtual gravitons is proportional to the degree of

• One more try - R - April 8, 1999 - 17:37 UTC