Doees the presence of a massless particle warp space-time?

Question

What about 10 ^98 masseless particle interactions ,would that cause a big spacetime warp?

Answer 1

Yes.

In the Einstein field equations the curvature of spacetime depends on the stress energy tensor, and massless particles do contribute to this.

Answer 2

I would theororize that a massless particle would only warp space-time if it were in motion. As a massless particle, by definition, does not fill space, it would make no sense for it to be able to warp space-time without at least being in time, which would require some motion, even if the motion involves something as simple as spinning in place. Furthermore, the faster the particle moves, the more it should warp the space around it. The warping would be relative to the speed, not the mass. After all E=mc Squared, y'know.

Answer 3

I dont believe there is a such thing as a "massless" particle. Because a particle is matter, and all matter has mass. There are particles that have a very low mass, but I suspect what you mean by a massless particle is antimatter, which has never been produced in a quantity significant enough to merit study. Albert Einstein theorized that the universe was created by the combination of a significant amount of matter and a tiny amount of antimatter. With the recent discovery of the existance of black holes, we may yet indeed find more antimatter, because it is thought only to exist in black holes. In answer to your question, antimatter, which would be a massless particle would indeed warp space time.

Answer 4

According to Einstein in 1916 with his field equations, no, the prescence of a massless particle does not warp space time. This is because an object with mass is what causes a warp. Massless particles are suseptable to warp, but they in no way cause it.

Answer 5

The Short answer- NO.

Now we try and look at it a bit more deeply. In present day physics, we have two great partial theories - Relativity (Special and General) and Quantum Physics.
The Warping of Space-Time is concept taken from Relativity. The massless particle is concept from Quantum Physics.
In Relativity, Space-Time is thought of as a fabric which can be streched and warped by matter-energy. And this is what gives rise to the effect we call Gravitty. And this distrubance in Space_time dues to the acceleration of matter-energy gives travels as a wave and is called Gravitational Wave.
In Quantum Physics, Gravity is explained in a similar way in which all other forces are explained. By force carrying massless Virtual Particles, which are descrite packets of energy. The Virtual Particle that explains Gravity is itself a massless particle called Graviton.
So as you can see, you are merging two different concepts from two different partial theories of Physics which are two different ways in which nature has been discribed.
Neverthless it must be remembered that when space time is wrapped, it causes light and nuclear forces (explained in Quantum Physics using Photon and other Boson) to change direction. But they do not cause the space-time to be bent.

P.S.- In response to another answer posted by someone here, i must add that neither matter particles, nor anti-matter particles are massless. To say anti-matter is massless is a factual error. For example, antiparticle of electron is positron. And it has the same mass as electron but has an opposite charge. Its presence has been directly obsered. And the man who predicted it, Dirac was awarded Nobel Prize.
And also, the anti-particle of a virtual particle is identicle in every respect to the particle.
It is wrong to say that all particles have mass. In Quantum Physics, a 'particle' simply means a packet of either mass (as in matter) or energy (as in Virtual Particles). And they are both interconvertable.

Answer 6

A load of theoretical garbage I am afraid. I think a lot of you over-enthusiastic boys forget that the theory of relativity is but a theory. Sigh,...

Answer 7

Yes, but not very much, compared to anything with mass.

Answer 8

No.