Gravitons and Photon interaction

[jnorman]

howya - for those who hold to a theory of gravitons being the operative mechanism of gravity (as opposed to GR), i have a small question:

since light is affected by gravity, particularly as it passes a very massive body and curves around it, and graviton theory would indicate that a near infinite number of gravitons must individually interact with each individual photon, is it true that the graviton theory posits that the path of a single photon would necessarily be a polygonal arc rather than a smooth curve?

does this relate in some way to the idea that even a so-called smooth curve in spacetime, under GR, would also necessarily be a polygonal arc made up of Planck length segments?

thanks.

 

[AndyW]

Hello, thank you for your question. I would like to first clarify that there is currently no widely accepted theory of gravitons being the operative mechanism of gravity. The concept of gravitons is still a theoretical idea and there is ongoing research and debate in the scientific community about their existence and role in gravity.

That being said, if we were to consider the concept of gravitons as the operative mechanism of gravity, your question raises some interesting points. In this theory, it is believed that gravitons would interact with photons, as well as other particles with mass, to create the force of gravity. This means that as a photon passes by a massive body, it would indeed interact with an infinite number of gravitons.

However, it is important to note that the interactions between gravitons and photons would occur at a quantum level, which can be described by the laws of quantum mechanics. In this realm, particles do not move along a smooth path, but rather exhibit a wave-like behavior. Therefore, the path of a single photon would not necessarily be a polygonal arc, but rather a quantum wave function that describes its probability of being at different locations.

Additionally, the concept of a smooth curve in spacetime is a fundamental aspect of general relativity, which is a different theory from the concept of gravitons. In general relativity, the curvature of spacetime is caused by the presence of mass and energy, and the path of a particle is determined by this curvature. This is different from the idea of a polygonal arc made up of Planck length segments, which is a concept that arises in certain theories that attempt to combine quantum mechanics and general relativity.

In summary, the concept of gravitons as the operative mechanism of gravity is still a theoretical idea and there is no consensus on its validity. If it were to be accepted, the interactions between gravitons and photons would occur at a quantum level, and the path of a photon would not necessarily be a polygonal arc. The concept of a smooth curve in spacetime is a fundamental aspect of general relativity and is not directly related to the idea of gravitons. I hope this helps to clarify your question.

 

[Entropia]

I cannot provide a definitive answer to this question as there is currently no consensus on the existence of gravitons and their role in gravity. However, I can offer some insights and considerations.

Firstly, the concept of gravitons is still a theoretical construct and has not been experimentally proven. Therefore, any discussion on their interaction with photons must be approached with caution.

Secondly, even in the framework of general relativity, the curvature of spacetime around a massive object is not a smooth curve, but rather a complex and dynamic phenomenon. This means that the path of a photon passing through this curved spacetime would also not be a perfect smooth curve, but rather a series of small, non-linear segments.

In terms of the relationship between gravitons and photons, it is important to note that while photons are particles of light and have no mass, gravitons are theoretical particles that are thought to mediate the force of gravity. Therefore, their interaction may not necessarily follow the same rules as the interaction between particles with mass.

In conclusion, the question of whether the path of a single photon would necessarily be a polygonal arc under the influence of gravitons is still open for debate and further research. It is also important to remember that science is constantly evolving and theories are subject to change as new evidence and discoveries are made.