How is light affected by the gravity of a black hole?

AI Thread Summary
Light, despite having no mass, is affected by the gravity of a black hole due to the principles of general relativity, which state that gravity results from the curvature of spacetime caused by energy, momentum, and pressure. Photons, while massless, possess energy and momentum, allowing them to be influenced by gravitational fields. This interaction means that light can be bent or pulled by the gravity of massive objects like black holes. The discussion highlights a common question in physics regarding the relationship between massless particles and gravity. Understanding this concept is essential for grasping the effects of gravity on light in the context of general relativity.
Oliver3.141
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Hello! I am new to this forum, but I'll give it a shot.
It is my understanding that photons have no mass- but that light is still pulled by the gravity of a black hole. How can something without a mass, and therefore, gravity, be pulled by the gravity of another object? Any insight would be appreciated. I am still just beginning in my physics education, so please correct any errors I have made.
 
Science news on Phys.org
Hi Oliver3.141 welcome to PF,

In general relativity (the theory that describes this) gravity comes from the fact that energy and momentum and pressure all curve spacetime. Light travels through spacetime, so its path can be influenced by gravity. Also, light has energy and momentum and pressure, so it can produce gravity too.
 
Thank you for your input! :)
 
Thread 'Simple math model for a Particle Image Velocimetry system'
Hello togehter, I am new to this forum and hope this post followed all the guidelines here (I tried to summarized my issue as clean as possible, two pictures are attached). I would appreciate every help: I am doing research on a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system. For this I want to set a simple math model for the system. I hope you can help me out. Regarding this I have 2 main Questions. 1. I am trying to find a math model which is describing what is happening in a simple Particle...
Thread 'How to model converging illumination through object plane (in ZEMAX)'
Hello community, I'm designing a projection lens system for a 35mm film projector in Zemax OpticStudio and struggling with the correct sequential mode setup for the illumination geometry. The light source is a Xenon short-arc lamp reflected by an ellipsoid mirror, which creates a converging cone with a 40.6 degree full angle that passes through the film gate. The film gate is my object plane, but the light doesn't diverge from it like a typical Lambertian source. Instead, the converging...

Similar threads

Back
Top