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Mike2
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Since every particle from photon to proton delivers energy when it interacts, then doesn't this energy distort space-time by its energy?
Would we say that at any instant the net total curvature of a boson/photon would have to average to zero as seen from a distance so that it is not considered to have mass? Would this mean if the photon shrinked space at some points, then it would have to stretch space at other points so that the average is zero? Or does energy only curve space-time in one direction of more curvature?jcsd said:Photons do (theoretically)cause curvature in spacetime, so every particle does cause curvature in spacetime, in theory at least.
What is the "inertial mass" of a photon/boson?jcsd said:No, the main problem I see is for a photon your dealing with a curvature so small as to be insignificant, but by general relstavity non-zero. I really don't think you can say that a space has an average curvature of zero, unless that space is Euclidian (i.e. has a curvature of zero), which certainly is not the case in GR for a space containing anything with inertial mass.
In general relativity the curvature is only dependnet on one thing: the inertial mass of the particle so it matters not one iota whether the particle is a fermion or a boson.
Space-time distortion is the concept that the presence of matter and energy can cause a curvature in the fabric of space and time. This curvature is described by Einstein's theory of general relativity and is responsible for the force of gravity.
Particles with mass or energy create a gravitational field that causes a distortion in space and time. The more massive or energetic a particle is, the stronger its gravitational influence and the greater the distortion in space-time.
Yes, every particle with mass or energy has the potential to create a distortion in space-time. However, the effect of this distortion may be too small to be measurable for particles with very low mass or energy.
Space-time distortion affects the motion of particles by altering the path they take through space. In the presence of a strong gravitational field, particles will follow a curved path due to the curvature of space-time. This is why planets orbit around the sun and why objects fall towards the Earth.
Yes, space-time distortion has been observed and confirmed through various experiments and observations, such as the bending of light around massive objects like stars, the gravitational redshift of light, and the detection of gravitational waves. These observations provide evidence for the existence of space-time distortion and support Einstein's theory of general relativity.