Black holes 'attracting' light?

In summary, the conversation discussed the phenomenon of black holes attracting light, and the confusion surrounding it due to the fact that light has no mass. It was explained that black holes do not actually attract light, but rather bend spacetime, causing the light to appear to be bending towards the black hole. A link was provided for further explanation on the concept.
  • #1
Ithaca
2
0
Black holes 'attracting' light?

I'm puzzled. If light is made up of photons and photons have no mass, how can black holes 'attract' light into themselves - surely gravity only acts on things with mass? I can't see how thinking of light as a wave would help with this either...

Sorry if the answer is very simple - I think I must be missing something obvious but it's annoying me!

Thanks!
 
Science news on Phys.org
  • #2
They don't. They kinda bend spacetime. The light goes straight, like light does. But the space is bent. That's basically what's going on for anything with gravity. Search Google and you'll find something that'll tell you all about it and give you a simple concept.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_hole
 
  • #3
Ahhh, thank you for the link - that makes it clear!
 

1. What is the concept of "attracting" light in black holes?

In black holes, the intense gravitational pull causes light to be bent or curved towards the center, making it appear as though the black hole is "attracting" the light.

2. How does the gravity of a black hole affect the speed of light?

The gravity of a black hole is so strong that it can slow down the speed of light, causing it to appear as though it is "attracted" towards the black hole.

3. Can light escape from a black hole?

No, once light enters the event horizon of a black hole, it cannot escape. This is because the gravitational pull of the black hole is too strong for the light to overcome.

4. Why does light get distorted near black holes?

As light passes through the strong gravitational field of a black hole, it gets distorted due to the warping of space and time caused by the immense gravity.

5. How do black holes "attract" light without any mass?

While black holes do not have a physical surface or mass, they do have an intense gravitational pull due to their immense density. This gravity is what causes light to bend and appear as though it is being "attracted" to the black hole.

Similar threads

Replies
19
Views
1K
Replies
2
Views
722
Replies
10
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
4
Views
250
Replies
10
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
62
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
705
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
3
Views
960
Replies
13
Views
528
  • Cosmology
Replies
11
Views
1K
Back
Top