how is this possible?

Question

if light has no mass and is a form of energy how can gravity have any effect on it for instance how can a black hole have enough gravity to capture light this means that light has a mass because u cant pull something that has no mass right???

Answer 1

Photons have no mass but their energy contributes to the overall invariant mass of a system. Hence it has a gravitation effect and inversely, can be affected by gravity.

Answer 2

You are correct - light (photons) have no mass (all of its rest mass is converted to energy).

Objects warp and distort the space surrounding them - light is actually traveling in as straight a line as possible through this warp. It is the effect of gravity to warp this space that bends the light - not the direct gravitational effect on the light (which, as you indicated in your question, would be zero)

Answer 3

Good question. It is really strange. However, I think if you are familiar with the General Principle of Relativity, you'll find that mass causes spacetime to bend, and in the case of a black hole, the curvature is so great that light does not escape. It merely follows the curvature and cycles within the sphere of distortion.

Answer 4

Everything in the entire universe is embedded in the "fabric" of spacetime. Einstein showed that the shape (..geometry..) of spacetime is altered by the presence of mass. This distortion of spacetime is called gravity. Therefore, no matter whether something that's embedded in the geometry of spacetime has mass or not, it MUST conform to it.