In other words is gravity faster than the speed of light?
2006-10-11 12:02:29 · 14 answers · asked by somerslats 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
According to theory, NOTHING travels faster than light. All the forces we know of are carried by particles, and the particle that carries gravity is called the 'graviton'. Though scientists are still trying to pin the graviton down, no serious scientist has yet suggested that they travel faster than light. Because they are massless, like photons, they probably go at just about the same speed.
So yes. As well as anyone can guess right now, the Earth would leave its orbit at just about the same time all the light went away.
2006-10-11 12:31:43 · answer #1 · answered by Doctor Why 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Thy say that gravity is the distortion of the fabric of space time. I would think therefore that if the sun were to vanish, that distortion would ripple a bit before things settled down. We really don't understand gravity very well yet. In this particular [impossible] instance, I'd have to guess that they travel at the same speed.
I say that the earth would leave its orbit on a hyperbolic or parabolic curve rather than on a tangent.
2006-10-11 19:31:20 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, the Earth would stay in its orbit for another 8 minutes. Einstein's theory says that gravitational effects propagate at the speed of light.
2006-10-11 21:51:59 · answer #3 · answered by zee_prime 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
ya it takes more than 8 min for the earth to change from it's orbit.... this can be well explained by the quantum mechanics as well.... the force of gravity is nothing but exchange of particles of gravitons between matter... gravitons are similar to photons where as the differ by the spin they posses.... the intermediate zone that is the 8 mins doesn't comes into the UN-predictable interval...
did that answer u r ques... further clarifications are at most welcome
2006-10-13 00:53:23 · answer #4 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most scientist believe that gravity propagation is instantaneous. In other words, the mass of an object distorts space itself and creates a sort of invisible slope for nearby objects to slip down. In other words, the mass of an object "dents" space. It's not exactly a force in that regard.
So, if you waved your magic wand and made the Sun vanish. It's gravity well, e.g. the dent in space, would vanish too and Earth would be affected by that instantaneously.
2006-10-11 21:19:24 · answer #5 · answered by Otis F 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's been theorized that gravity acts at the speed of light though this has not been proven. Experiments are underway to try to detect the speed of gravity.
2006-10-12 03:08:16 · answer #6 · answered by minuteblue 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi. One way of looking at it is that TIME travels at the speed of light. The influence of gravity is no exception. The gravity, or lack thereof, would also travel at the speed of light.
2006-10-11 19:44:37 · answer #7 · answered by Cirric 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, the Earth would begin to leave it's orbit immediately. But not because gravity is "faster" than light, but it's because either gravity is there or it isn't. Gravity doesn't move, as light and other things do.
2006-10-11 19:06:55 · answer #8 · answered by ohmneo 3 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Its hard to tell, because gravity is not completely understood.
The bigger problem may be the idea of "the sun was suddenly gone" . Things of any real size (larger than particles) cannot just dissappear.
2006-10-11 19:25:13 · answer #9 · answered by iandanielx 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The gravity of sun doesn't depend on its light. So, earth would leave its orbit immediately. Gravity between the earth and the sun is like a rope tied between them. If you cut the rope at the sun's end, earth would fall imediately.
2006-10-11 19:17:43 · answer #10 · answered by cosmoboyin 2 · 2⤊ 4⤋