• Question: Why does light travel in straight lines?

    Asked by meet520yoga on 14 Mar 2025.
    • Photo: Rachel Edwards

      Rachel Edwards answered on 14 Mar 2025:

      It doesn’t always! In empty space it will go in a straight line because it needs to take the shortest path. But when you have things like planets or stars then they can bend light around them.

    • Photo: Graeme Dykes

      Graeme Dykes answered on 20 Mar 2025:

      It seems to be a question of energy. Straight lines require the least energy expenditure
      Maybe a better question is , why does light sometimes not travel in straight lines?
      Changes in the media through which is travels (air/glass, air/water)
      Changes in the curvature of Spacetime. very massive objects like stars bend light in space.

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