Free-Fall Motion and Time in General Relativity

Abstract

Recent attempts at explaining free-fall motion (i.e. motion only under the influence of gravity) in the context of the General Theory of Relativity have invoked a concept of time passing/progressing. Although students who have studied the Special Theory of Relativity will likely know that this concept does not feature in Special Relativity, they may incorrectly accept the concept of time passing/progressing as an aspect of General Relativity if they have encountered these accounts of free-fall motion. It is pointed out that time passing/progressing is not part of General Relativity theory and is briefly shown that free-fall motion in General Relativity is quantitatively described without such a concept.