Is light directly affected by gravity?
Yes, light is affected by gravity, but not in its speed. It can bend light (which includes effects such as gravitational lensing), and it can change the energy of light. But it changes the energy by shifting the frequency of the light (gravitational redshift) not by changing light speed.
How does the gravity of an object affect light?
According to Newtonian gravity, light is not affected by gravity, as light is massless. Einstein’s law E = mc2, immediately suggests that light is affected by gravity. This is indeed the case and has experimentally be observed via gravitational lensing and other effects.
Does the sun’s gravity bend light?
The most massive object in the vicinity of the Earth is the Sun. So according to Newtonian principles, a light ray from a distant star graz- ing the edge of the Sun should be attracted or bent by the Sun’s gravity by an amount equal to 0.87 seconds of arc. The amount of curvature is proportional to the amount of mass.
Does gravity refract light?
In any event, the strength of a gravitational field can distort light, just as a piece of glass can. The effects are actually quite similar: a strong gravitational potential increases the travel time of a ray of light, effectively boosting the index of refraction of space itself.
Does gravity bend time?
Gravitational time dilation occurs because objects with a lot of mass create a strong gravitational field. The gravitational field is really a curving of space and time. The stronger the gravity, the more spacetime curves, and the slower time itself proceeds.
Does gravity affect sound in space?
Sound waves are pressure waves and depend on density so gravity which stratifies the atmospheric density affects sound waves through that. In solids and liquids to the extent that gravity stratifies them it will change the behaviour of sound waves.