2007-10-06 01:28:29 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Perhaps some of these answers missed what I believe to be your point: what is the speed of gravitational effects? This is a question that has gotten some attention lately. Because such things as instantaneous major changes in gravity have not been detected, (and probably never will be), we may never know. Three schools of thought are 1) that it is instantaneous, no matter the distance. I don't think this has much favor. 2) that it is not instantaneous but travels much faster than light. Experiments to determine this have claimed results but those results have been challenged and the conclusions seriously disputed. 3) the speed of light, as a couple of people have already suggested. I think this is the right answer, as the speed of light is not just the speed of light but a kind of Universal constant which applies to all forms of energy and "forces" of nature.
(IOW, 8 min. 20 sec., as Polo has stated.)
2007-10-06 01:58:51 · answer #1 · answered by Brant 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
In General Relativity, the Sun's gravity is the result of all of the energy in the Sun affecting the curvature of space. The energy in the Sun includes all its matter (E = mc^2).
General Relativity also hypothesizes that energy cannot be destroyed---it can be moved around, transformed into other forms, but it can't be destroyed.
So in the context of our understanding of modern physics, there is no answer to your question---you cannot simply make all the energy in the Sun pop out of existence---you have to tell us how you disposed of it. Knowing that, the equations of General Relativity could (in principle) be solved for the resulting effect on the Earth.
You could, I suppose, instantaneously convert all the mass of the Sun into two beams of photons directed out of the poles of the Sun. These beams would be the brightest thing in the Universe. The resulting change in gravity would, I'm pretty sure, be felt at the Earth at the speed of lilght (8 minutes).
2007-10-06 03:19:52 · answer #2 · answered by cosmo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Theoretically the speed of gravity is equal to the speed of light. In that case it will take 8.33 minutes for earth to feel the effect: it'll get dark, start getting cold but we won't freeze for a few hours, and the earth will shoot out of it's orbit into space (it won't get crushed as others have suggested).
There have been a couple experiments that seem to in indicate that the speed of gravity is equal to the speed of light but they are being disputed.
2007-10-06 02:33:17 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The effects would be instantaneous regardless the distance, as gravity is a force it cannot be measured to be having a speed unless gravity has a wavelength but none has ever been detected yet.
2007-10-06 06:15:41 · answer #4 · answered by 00000 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
About 8 minutes.
2007-10-06 02:13:04 · answer #5 · answered by Leviathan 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Infuence of gravity travels at the speed of light so it would be about 8m20s.
2007-10-06 05:38:01 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We would feel the effects 8 minutes later. And without the sun, we would all die.
2007-10-06 01:32:49 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
8.33 minutes. gravity is thought to travel at the speed of light.
2007-10-06 04:00:29 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the centifugal force of the Earth would immediately be allowed to zip us off into space, wouldn't it?... if the gravitational force of the Sun was suddenly gone?.....
2007-10-06 02:35:54 · answer #9 · answered by meanolmaw 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gravity would be least of your worries,Chill ave a cup o' tea
2007-10-06 01:32:49 · answer #10 · answered by It's me :) 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋