Name: George C.
Status: student
Age: 18
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 4/22/2003
Question:
Situation:
Let Wormhole "entrance" lie at point A.
Let point B refer to the "exit" of the wormhole.
Assume the wormhole is not linear and therefore the "entrance" and
"exit" are interchangeable.
Let point B lie on the event horizon of a black hole.
Assume that it is a stable wormhole.
Question: Would the gravitational effects at the event horizon traverse through the worm hole
so that in essence point A = point B? In other words, can a gravitational field pass through
a wormhole?
Replies:
George,
This would probably depend on just what gravity is.
Some say gravity is a bending or warping of space itself. The wormhole in this case is a
function of gravity, perhaps even caused by gravity. In this model, gravitational effects
do not travel in the common sense of the word. A flex in the structure of space itself can
travel. For this flex to pass through a wormhole, it would have to alter the structure of the
hole itself. The wormhole would not be stable.
Another model is based on subatomic particles called "gravitons". If such particles exist,
gravitational force is transmitted by gravitons making contact with matter. In this model,
gravitons passing through the wormhole is a very feasible process.
In both models, the cause of a wormhole should be considered. If caused by an extreme mass
such as a black hole, whether gravity effects pass through would be impossible to detect. The
gravity from the wormhole itself would make detection impossible.
Dr. Ken Mellendorf
Physics Instructor
Illinois Central College
NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.
