Does every piece of information in the universe have mass?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter MaNiFeST
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Mass Physics Space
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between information and mass in the universe, the nature of light and its interaction with gravity, and the composition of space. Participants explore theoretical concepts and raise questions about the fundamental nature of reality, including the existence of atoms and the implications of information theory in physics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Historical

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question whether every piece of information in the universe has mass.
  • There is a debate about whether light has mass, with some arguing that light is affected by gravity and thus must have mass, while others clarify that photons are massless but have non-zero inertial mass.
  • Participants discuss the nature of space, questioning whether it is filled with an infinite number of atoms.
  • One participant mentions attempts to link the information content of the universe to dark energy.
  • Historical perspectives on the nature of matter and void are introduced, referencing the ideas of Democritus.
  • Some contributions emphasize the role of momentum in the context of gravity and space-time interactions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the mass of light and the implications of information in relation to mass. The discussion remains unresolved, with multiple competing perspectives on these topics.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding definitions of mass (rest mass vs. relativistic mass) and the assumptions underlying the relationship between information and physical reality. The scope of the discussion includes both theoretical and conceptual inquiries.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals exploring the intersections of physics, philosophy, and information theory, as well as those curious about fundamental questions regarding the nature of reality and the universe.

MaNiFeST
Messages
36
Reaction score
0
Is every bit of information (anything) in the Universe have mass?

Also, light has to have mass because it is affected by gravity, correct?

Last question, What is "space", not just outer-space but also the space we "live" in, made of? Is it filled with an infinite(or really big amount) amount of atoms?
So, if this where true you could say that the Universe is just filled with an infinite (or really big amount) amount of atoms that make up everything...

Sorry, I really like Physics but just have so many questions.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
MaNiFeST said:
Is every bit of information (anything) in the Universe have mass?

Also, light has to have mass because it is affected by gravity, correct?

Last question, What is "space", not just outer-space but also the space we "live" in, made of? Is it filled with an infinite(or really big amount) amount of atoms?
So, if this where true you could say that the Universe is just filled with an infinite (or really big amount) amount of atoms that make up everything...

Sorry, I really like Physics but just have so many questions.

The universe is made of both mass and energy. Light is made up of a particles called photons. Photons are massless.

Other people can answer your other questions
 
But if mass is affected by gravity, then it has to have mass. Light bends millions of miles away from the source.
 
MaNiFeST said:
But if mass is affected by gravity, then it has to have mass. Light bends millions of miles away from the source.

When it is said that "light has no mass" it is meant that the proper mass (aka "rest mass") of photons is zero. However the photon does have a non-zero inertial mass (aka "relativistic mass") and that is the mass that is affected by gravity.

Pete
 
Light is affected by space-time, space-time is affected by gravity, and gravity is created by mass, energy and pressure.
 
MaNiFeST said:
Is every bit of information (anything) in the Universe have mass?

Curious wording. Actually, there have been attempts to link the information content of the universe (in a Shannon's kind of sense) to the unexplained "dark energy".
 
Mentz114 said:
Light is affected by space-time, space-time is affected by gravity, and gravity is created by mass, energy and pressure.
You forgot momentum too. That's why the tensor is called the stress-energy-momentum tensor.

Pete
 
Throughout scientific history, force and matter were the underlying concepts in all endeavors to understand nature. Much effort has been directed to reducing the apparent complexity of the physical world to these fundamental perceptions. This idea was expressed even in the work of the Atomist, Democritus, 23 centuries ago:

"By convention sweet is sweet, hot is hot, color is color...
But in reality, only the atoms and the void are real"

From what we know today, perhaps the world is even less substantive

Maybe only the void is real.

Yogi
 
Yes, I did forget momentum too.

Thanks, PMB.
 

Similar threads

Undergrad What Are the Limits of the Universe According to Cosmologists?
  • · Replies 47 ·
2
Replies
47
Views
4K
High School The expansion of the Universe and time travel (By a non-scientist)
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Undergrad Black hole questions
  • · Replies 29 ·
Replies
29
Views
2K
High School Does Spacetime Have Physical Existence?
  • · Replies 58 ·
2
Replies
58
Views
4K
Undergrad Does Space Curvature Account for Gravity Between Individual Atoms?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
Undergrad Why is the speed of light the same everywhere in the Universe?
  • · Replies 64 ·
3
Replies
64
Views
12K
High School Thought Experiment : Try and get Alice to "0%" the Speed of light
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
2K
Undergrad Infinite Frequencies & Extraterrestrial Signals: What Are We Missing?
  • · Replies 18 ·
Replies
18
Views
2K
Undergrad "Exploring Time Perception Across Different Regions of Space"
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
2K
High School Does Relativity Impact Gravity's Influence on Fast-Moving Objects?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K