Why is gravity still described as a “force” when Einstein described it as the curvature of spacetime?

Question

Gravity- it’s known as the “weakest fundamental force”, but we know the “attraction” is really just objects falling along the curvature of space toward a more massive object. I don’t understand how this explanation of gravity relates to the other fundamental forces.

In: 311

Answer 1

A “force” is just a thing that causes an acceleration. In the EM field that thing is the exchange of photons. In gravity it’s the curve of spacetime. The underlying mechanism of a force doesn’t change that something is a force.