Hello all,
I am not educated in the mathematics and computations required to calculate orbits and material phases, but I have a very good ability to grasp and understand the concepts of astro physics explained. My favorite scientists to hear speak are Neil Tyson, William Nye, and Stephen Hawking(not really speak, but maybe read). When I see these men speaking before audiences, and allow questions at the end of their presentations, they allow the audience to ask several questions. The audience nearly always ask rhetorical or philosophical questions rather than detailed technical questions, which of course I am most interested in. I have a few questions that I believe can be answered, but I have yet to hear asked:
If light behaves as both a particle, and a wave, and light can be affected by gravity, such as being unable to escape an event horizon of a black hole, then what happens when light passes near a black hole, but stays outside the event horizon? Does light possibly enter orbit, or simply change direction and speed? If light changes speed, does it speed up going towards the black hole, and slow down leaving the black hole? If light changes velocity based on gravity, then how can the speed of light be a constant? Is the constant of the speed of light simply a maximum attainable speed, leaving light able to slow down to an extent before becoming a form of matter?
I would like to hear anyone's thoughts on this subject, or even better, I would like to see links to sources that can answer my questions. These can either be reading material, or videos. In the off chance that any of you regulars of MMO-Champion are astrophysicists or theoretical physicists, would you please shed some light on my questions?