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Switchblade
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I've learned that a photon has no mass, and it carries the Electromagnetic force. So then how can gravity affect light? Gravity is the attractive force of mass, so if a photon has no mass, why does it work?
Switchblade said:Gravity is the attractive force of mass
ThomasEdison said:I assumed, and correct me if I am wrong, that gravity distorts spacetime creating the curvature mentioned above.
My logic, though probably flawed, then leads to the idea that since light enters this distorted spacetime it get pulled towards the object with mass because of the newly formed shape that spacetime is molded into by that massive object.
It's as if the spatial coordinates in which the photons exist forms a pothole and the photons have no choice but to glide on in.
So in that case a photon would not require mass but only to exist in the space that is being pulled.
I hope that makes sense, but more importantly I hope I am understanding this correctly.
These are raw assumptions on my part based on ZERO scientific expertise.
Switchblade said:I've learned that a photon has no mass, and it carries the Electromagnetic force. So then how can gravity affect light? Gravity is the attractive force of mass, so if a photon has no mass, why does it work?
Switchblade said:I've learned that a photon has no mass, and it carries the Electromagnetic force. So then how can gravity affect light? Gravity is the attractive force of mass, so if a photon has no mass, why does it work?
LostConjugate said:It is widely believed that Mass Energy in massive objects is just a hidden intrinsic Kinetic Energy of the system.
Nabeshin said:Widely believed by who?
Hi Switchblade, welcome to physicsforums.Switchblade said:I've learned that a photon has no mass, and it carries the Electromagnetic force. So then how can gravity affect light? Gravity is the attractive force of mass, so if a photon has no mass, why does it work?
Ah now I see it! :tongue2:jtbell said:Necropost alert!
Light is affected by gravity because it has energy and mass. According to Einstein's theory of general relativity, gravity is the result of mass warping the fabric of space-time. When light travels near a massive object, its path is curved, or bent, due to this warping of space-time.
Gravity does not directly affect the speed of light. The speed of light is a constant, meaning it travels at the same speed regardless of the presence of gravity. However, gravity can affect the path of light, causing it to appear to slow down or speed up from the perspective of an outside observer.
No, light cannot escape from a black hole because the gravitational pull is so strong that it traps light. The escape velocity, or the speed needed to escape the gravitational pull, of a black hole is greater than the speed of light. This is why black holes are often referred to as "light traps."
Yes, the amount of gravity does affect the amount of light bending. The greater the mass of the object, the stronger its gravitational pull, and the more light will be bent as it passes by. This is why light is significantly bent when passing by massive objects like stars or black holes.
In the absence of gravity, light will travel in a straight line at a constant speed. This is because gravity is not present to warp the fabric of space-time, allowing light to travel in a straight path without being affected by the curvature of space. However, in reality, gravity is present everywhere in the universe, so it is impossible to observe light in the complete absence of gravity.