Do Photons Have Mass? - Debate & Questions

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The debate over whether photons have mass centers on the implications of their behavior in gravitational fields, particularly regarding black holes. While many assert that photons have no rest mass, they question how light can be affected by gravity if that is true. General relativity explains that gravity results from the curvature of spacetime caused by mass and energy, allowing light to follow curved paths without requiring mass. The discussion also highlights that the definition of mass is complex, with distinctions between rest mass, inertial mass, and gravitational mass. Ultimately, the consensus is that gravity influences all forms of energy, including light, regardless of its mass status.
  • #91
georgir said:
tl;dr
But the idea that something needs mass to be affected by gravity is obviously false - all things that have mass are affected absolutely identically by gravity, they receive exactly the same acceleration, regardless of their mass. So even if they had zero mass, it would be normal to assume they will still be affected in the same manner and get the same acceleration.

Do you mean that light can be accelerated overcoming its constant speed,or simply follows the space curvature? But curvating motion also means acceleration.
 
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  • #92
harve said:
Do you mean that light can be accelerated overcoming its constant speed,or simply follows the space curvature? But curvating motion also means acceleration.

The velocity of light is always c, yet it is affected by gravity and will change its direction of propagation.
 
  • #93
One thing should be clarified. The velocity of light is always "c" using local clocks and rulers, which means that in a coordinate independent sense, it's always "c".

The rate of change of the distance coordinate with respect to the time coordinate isn't always "c". So it's important to know how you are defining velocity before you talk about it. If you define it as being measured by local clocks and rulers, then it's always constant.

It's a separate argument about why that's the best way to define velocity - I find that it's mostly a waste of time. it may be worth mentioning - errr repeating - that the issue is one of coordinate independence.
 

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