Is light necessary for the existence of spacetime?

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In summary: Light is a kind of disturbance in the electromagnetic field, so the only thing that's really necessary is the electromagnetic field. That said, space-time is what's known as the "arena" in which light exists.As for the abundance of light, it is estimated that visible light makes up less than one percent of the total energy in the universe. So while it may seem abundant to us, there are likely other forms of energy or particles that make up the majority of the universe. As for how photons are produced, it is currently unknown. Some theories suggest that they are created through the interactions of charged particles, while others propose that they are fundamental particles that have always existed. More research is needed to fully understand the origins of photons.
  • #1
dubmugga
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...there is darkness and spacetime

but there is still light...

In a semi dark room there is light and i can make the shape of objects out. I turn the switch on and the room is flooded with light but what happened ? Did the energy levels of the existing photons in the semi dark room just get boosted ?

With that in mind...

...is it possible to extricate spacetime without light given that spacetime is the medium through which light travels. Is a black hole spacetime without light ?

What does the presence of light suggest then about the relationship between spacetime and light ?

Is spacetime merely the effect of photonic mass and gravity traveling in 3+1d ?

Is it possible to accurately model spacetime without including the effect of light from the outset ?

If spacetime is inflating at faster than lightspeed from the inside. How do we ever manage to see light from vast distances given the the distance needed to travel is always increasing ?

...just some random questions i been thinking about I hope someone can help me with
 
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  • #2
dubmugga said:
...there is darkness and spacetime
but there is still light...
In a semi dark room there is light and i can make the shape of objects out. I turn the switch on and the room is flooded with light but what happened ? Did the energy levels of the existing photons in the semi dark room just get boosted ?
No, the light bulb produces new photons in vastly greater quanities than existed in the room before you threw the switch.
Boosting the energy of the existing photon would result in the shifting of their frequencies (they would shift to the blue end of the spectrum).
 
  • #3
dubmugga said:
...is it possible to extricate spacetime without light given that spacetime is the medium through which light travels. Is a black hole spacetime without light ?
I don't think the word 'extricate' makes sense in your sentence. A non-spinning uncharged black hole (commonly called the Schwarzschild solution) is a spacetime described by the Schwarzschild metric.

What does the presence of light suggest then about the relationship between spacetime and light ?
The presence of light is nothing special really, not even that light travels at the speed c is too special. What is remarkable is the fact that there is a maximum speed for all objects in the universe. This happens to match the speed of light since the quanta of the electromagnetic field is massless and therefore moves at that speed.

Is spacetime merely the effect of photonic mass and gravity traveling in 3+1d ?
No.

Is it possible to accurately model spacetime without including the effect of light from the outset ?
Which effect of light?

If spacetime is inflating at faster than lightspeed from the inside. How do we ever manage to see light from vast distances given the the distance needed to travel is always increasing ?
The most accurate model of spacetime is a "4-dimensional pseudo-Riemannian manifold." One consequence of this is that it doesn't make too much sense to speak of properties of objects that aren't in your local frame; i.e. the energy-momentum of a photon that is many light-years away.
...just some random questions i been thinking about I hope someone can help me with

I hope I have been of some help.
 
  • #4
why yes, thank you masudr...

...so light in no way affects spacetime given that it has no mass and gravity

but if it did then ?

Is light as a particle the most abundant substance in the universe or is it possibly grains of spacetime or something else ?
 
  • #5
thank you too Janus...

so do we know how photons are produced from non existence to visibly physical ?
 
  • #6
dubmugga said:
why yes, thank you masudr...
...so light in no way affects spacetime given that it has no mass and gravity
but if it did then ?
Is light as a particle the most abundant substance in the universe or is it possibly grains of spacetime or something else ?

Light has a small effect on the curvature of space-time, because it has energy - just not very much energy compared to matter. Light is in no way necessary to have space-time.
 

FAQ: Is light necessary for the existence of spacetime?

What does it mean when something is described as "in the absence of light"?

When something is described as being "in the absence of light", it means that there is no visible light present in the environment. This could be due to a lack of light sources or the object being in a completely dark area.

How does the absence of light affect living organisms?

The absence of light can have a significant impact on living organisms, especially those that rely on light for survival. Without light, plants cannot photosynthesize and produce energy, and animals may have difficulty finding food or navigating their surroundings.

What are some examples of environments with a lack of light?

Some examples of environments with a lack of light include caves, deep ocean regions, and underground habitats. These areas may have little to no natural light sources, and organisms living in these environments have adapted to survive in the absence of light.

How is the absence of light studied by scientists?

Scientists study the absence of light through various methods, such as using specialized equipment to measure light levels in different environments or conducting experiments to observe how organisms respond to different light conditions. They may also use mathematical models to simulate and predict the behavior of light in different environments.

Can anything survive in complete absence of light?

Yes, some organisms have evolved to survive in complete absence of light. These organisms, known as obligate anaerobes, do not require light for survival and obtain energy through other means, such as chemosynthesis. Some examples of obligate anaerobes include bacteria and certain species of fish and insects.

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