Does Energy Gravitate? Answers Here

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In summary, light rays are affected by gravity, with the 1919 Eddington experiment proving this prediction of general relativity. Energy contributes to an object's inertia and the amount it is pulled by gravity follows the expected proportion. Additionally, if an object absorbs energy, both its weight and inertia will increase in proportion to each other.
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wolram
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I know this question has been asked before but i can not find it, if energy is effected by gravity how does it scale.
 
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Light rays are affected by gravity. 1919 Eddington experiment matched a prediction of general relativity.
 
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wolram said:
I know this question has been asked before but i can not find it, if energy is effected by gravity how does it scale.

Energy contributes to a thing's inertia, and to the amount is pulled by gravity, exactly in the proportion you would expect. energy = c2 times inertia
inertia = energy/c2

So if you have an iron canonball and you heat it, so it absorbs a little energy. Then its weight will increase proportionally by that amount. (that is, how much it is pulled)
and its inertia will increase in the same proportion as its weight does
 
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Thanks.
Mathman, Marcus
 
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I can provide some clarification on this topic. First, it is important to understand that energy and gravity are two fundamentally different concepts in physics. Energy is a property of objects that allows them to do work or cause change, while gravity is a force that attracts objects with mass towards each other.

In terms of whether energy is affected by gravity, the answer is yes. According to Einstein's theory of general relativity, gravity is not a force but rather a curvature of space and time caused by the presence of mass or energy. This means that any type of energy, whether it is kinetic, potential, or electromagnetic, can contribute to the curvature of space and time and therefore be affected by gravity.

As for how energy scales with gravity, it depends on the specific type of energy being considered. For example, the gravitational potential energy of an object increases as its distance from a massive object decreases, following the inverse square law. On the other hand, the kinetic energy of an object is not directly affected by gravity, but it may change due to the work done by gravity on the object.

In summary, while energy and gravity are related concepts, they should not be confused as being the same thing. Energy can be affected by gravity, but the exact relationship between the two depends on the specific type of energy being considered.
 

1. Does energy gravitate?

According to the theory of general relativity, energy does indeed gravitate. This means that any form of energy, whether it be kinetic, potential, or thermal energy, can produce a gravitational field.

2. How does energy produce a gravitational field?

Energy can produce a gravitational field because of the relationship between energy and mass. In Einstein's famous equation E=mc², energy and mass are directly proportional. This means that any form of energy, due to its mass-like properties, can warp the fabric of space-time and create a gravitational field.

3. Is there a difference between how matter and energy gravitate?

The principles of general relativity state that matter and energy are interchangeable, and thus, they both gravitate in the same way. However, matter has a much larger gravitational effect due to its relatively large mass compared to energy.

4. Can energy waves gravitate?

Yes, energy waves, such as electromagnetic waves, can also gravitate. This is because they are made up of photons, which have energy and thus, mass. These photons can warp space-time and produce a gravitational field, just like any other form of energy.

5. How does the gravitation of energy impact the universe?

The gravitation of energy plays a significant role in the structure and evolution of the universe. It helps to form and hold together galaxies, stars, and other celestial bodies. Without the gravitation of energy, the universe would look very different and may not have been able to support life as we know it.

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