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Question on Light and Gravity.?
Based on my understanding of both light and gravity, then I have developed two theories, which are mutually exclusive, but should one be proven wrong then the other should, in theory, be proven right.
It is widely accepted in modern times that nothing can travel faster than light, and that light itself cannot be sped up or slowed, unless it travels through a different medium. With this in mind, I began to think about the bending of light as it passes a planet. This can only happen one of two ways. Either gravity pulls on it, or gravity refracts it. If gravity pulls on it, then in theory when light is approaching a black hole straight on it should at some point begin to speed up, therefore proving Einstein wrong and me right.
If it is refracted by gravity instead, this would lead to the assumption that gravity is material, and is a medium through which light travels. As light passes into thicker parts of the medium I.E. around planets, it would then refract.
What do you think?
3 Answers
- doug_donaghueLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
The problem is that you only know just barely enough to be dangerous ☺
Light also travels in a straight line. But the meaning of 'straight' has to be understood in the sense of a 4-dimensional space-time which is, itself, 'bent' by the presence of mass. As a result, light appears to travel in a curve in the vicinity of a large mass when, in fact, it is traveling in a straight line and it the space itself that is 'curved'.
A good course on General Relativity will help to make all of that much more understandable.
Doug
- Chug-a-LugLv 71 decade ago
Light isn't 'pulled' or 'refracted' by gravity. Gravity is not a true force but rather a distortion of spacetime caused by the presence of mass. Everything must follow the geometry of spacetime because everything is embedded in it. Therefore, light merely follows the shape of spacetime, being neither sped up nor slowed down.
- 1 decade ago
You are confused, you should spend more time reading about this subject before you try to disprove existing theories. Light bends around planets because the mass of the planet causes the curvature of space in it's area, light follow that curvature as surely as a train follows tracks.
