question about gravity and light?

Question

It is said that gravity is a warping of time space by mass, and that is it this warping that explains why the planets orbit the sun, and why light (which has no mass, or does it?!) is able to bend around massive objects like the sun. Surely if this is a true warping, then the effect of gravity would be instantaneous? (rhetorical) But we know its not, because the speed of light is the fastest anything can happen. So is it because this warping alters the rate of time that the effects of gravity do not appear to be instaneous at the massive object? Is it then if you were to step outside of the warped space time area that things would appear faster, perhaps even instantaneous!? Or is it that as a creation of the universe we will never see or even detect such instantaneous effects because we're governed by the same laws such as speed of light? Maybe a universe with a greater maximum speed could detect these 'instantaneous' effects and inform us of their speed, should they be able to exist!

No theres questions in there, the only statement i made was that the effects of gravity are not instantaneous.

johnandeilein I thought curvature of space and gravity were the same thing

Answer 1

It's not clear what kind of instantaneous effect you are talking about. Generally the gravitational field is static. When people talk about gravity waves or the propagation speed of gravity, they mean how fast would a change in the field propagate. It's hard to find an example of that. Rotating binary neutron stars is one of very few.

That speed still debated among scientists. The 1993 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to a team who reached the conclusion that it travels at the speed of light, based on astronomical observations. Watch for results from the LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) and LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) projects, and the work of Joseph Taylor and Russel Hulse at Princeton.

Gravitation is an extremely weak force, very hard to measure. It's hard to set up an experiment with changing gravitational fields. I wouldn't call it conclusive yet, but I think most physicists would place their bets that gravitation propagates at the speed of light.

Answer 2

Well, light is energy, which means it adds to the mass/energy density which tells local space-time how to curve. But it doesn't have a rest mass.

Gravity is not instantaneous in that if the sun suddenly vanished, it would take over 8 minutes before the gravitons signaling the change in the space-time curvature reached earth and we flew out of orbit.

However, the effect is instantaneous in the sense that an orbiting object or light ray is continuously reacting to the instantaneous value of the local curvature. But again, the local curvature can only change at a rate limited by the speed of light signals from the gravitating bodies.

Hope that helps a little.

Answer 3

there are things faster than the speed of light...if you think about it , light is a reflective - hence "dark matter" - although there is some light which reflects on dark matte - but the light cannot exist without the particle to reflect it - so the creation and movement of the particle is slightly faster than light. Light is created from collisions of particles, or energy. Gravity too is created with the creation of these particles, which is why is is also delayed. However, warped "space time" is also created from the placement and effects of the particles. I beleave that it would be possible to see it. maybe wee will see it first from a particle camera. We are keen on neutrinos : )

Answer 4

You appear to confused about the curvature of space due to a massive object and how if affects the path of light. Light has no mass, the path it follows in space is determined by the curvature of the space that is caused by a massive body, it is not directly influenced by that body's gravity.

Answer 5

often relativity, the end results of gravitation are ascribed to the curvature of spacetime, rather of being a rigidity. Simplistically, those curvatures reason a unfastened falling merchandise to deviate from its geodesic [that's the thought of a "right this moment line" to curved spacetime; i.e. the worldwide line of particle unfastened from all exterior rigidity is a particular variety of geodesic]. the situation is resembling putting a bowling ball on a mattress; the heavy ball depresses a close-by area of the mattress's floor. in case then you roll a marble for the duration of this "melancholy" it feels the curvature created via the great physique. The marble thrown onto the mattress strikes in direction of the bowling ball. because of the fact its action isn't alongside a line and its velocity variations, the marble is now accelerating. for this reason it is not significant despite if easy has mass to make certain that it to "bend". Now, onto your question. in case you examine out gravitation as a results of spacetime curvatures and not a rigidity, you will understand that easy can impact a gravitational container because of the fact it possesses momentum and potential [via the equation: E^2 = m^2c^4 + p^2c^2]. they are no longer likely the only motives, besides the fact that. Edit: i replaced into incorrect, which i found out after examining the above posts. thank you for the question besides, made me be taught slightly.

Answer 6

You're in good company. Einstein asked himself this very question.

I think an educational and entertaining place to hear about that is in a video called The Elegant Universe. You can watch the entire video online at PBS. It is broken into small videos for easy download.

Unfortunately, I don't remember in which scene you'll find the relevant discussion.

Enjoy!

Answer 7

You made a wrong turn back there, sport; you're looking for Yahoo! STATEMENTS! This is Yahoo! Answers!