Does electromagnetic radiation occupy space ? How much?

[Atyant.E]

Anything that occupies space creates a 'distortion' to a certain degree in the space time fabric and hence will experience gravitational force.And we know radiation does experience gravitation , this would directly imply that it occupies 'space' or 'volume' . The question now is .. how much volume ?

 

[sweet springs]

Hi, Atryant.

Anything that occupies space creates a 'distortion' to a certain degree in the space time fabric and hence will experience gravitational force.And we know radiation does experience gravitation , this would directly imply that it occupies 'space' or 'volume' . The question now is .. how much volume ?

Your question of 'How much volume' would be readdressed as 'How much energy per volume'. Because energy(-momentum) is source of gravity or distortion of space-time. Then part of the answer for energy is energy density of electromagnetic field, i.e. (ED + BH)/2 for every point of space.

Regards.

 

[Bill_K]

All of it. The entire universe is filled with electromagnetic radiation.

 

[San K]

All of it. The entire universe is filled with electromagnetic radiation.

Does this mean that entire space-time gets, at least, infinitesimally distorted off an on at various points in time and space (by the radiation)?

 

[mathfeel]

Does this mean that entire space-time gets, at least, infinitesimally distorted off an on at various points in time and space (by the radiation)?

In principle, sure. But the coupling to gravity is so weak that it is negligible in most if not all cases.