Possibly 'take the shortest distance' might be better. Any body of mass creates indentations on the space-time continuum. These indentations changes space-time. Like on a globe, the shortest distance from point A to point B is not a straight line, but a curve, as the surface is not a plane, but a curved sphere. The space-time continuum affected by matter is no longer a 'plane' (although 'plane' isn't the right word- more likely a plane of three dimensions. Four dimensions even.), but an 'indentation of a sphere' more or less. The shortest distance has now been changed. Even light is affected by this change in space-time, and this change of shortest distance creates the illusion that the light is curving. Now for the fun part- what does this have to do with black holes? Well, we first must remember that although a black hole begins at the event horizon, the actual mass is located at the singularity. The singularity is the point which affects space-time. The black hole's event horizon is simply the point at which the shortest distance for light to travel is to the black hole. In fact, that is the very definition of the event horizon- the point where light cannot escape. One must keep the mindset that the event horizon does not actually include any mass. It is an 'atmosphere' so to speak. The event horizon is the maximum point at which light cannot escape the gravity of the black hole. If the light is aimed anywhere else, it shall eventually fall away. Why, how can light produced from friction of accreation of supermassive black holes escape to Earth? Think of it this way, if you shot a photon of light exactly at the edge of the event horizon, the photon would orbit the black hole.

• Nop-it would be absorbed - yanniru - March 14, 2002 - 23:42 UTC
  • Bad example? - splat - March 15, 2002 - 04:04 UTC
    • I agree - yanniru - March 15, 2002 - 14:17 UTC