<p>I think it is best not to think of energy having a gravitational attraction, rather that energy, like mass, (since they are equivalent keeping in mind c) will curve spacetime.  Electric charges, magnets, and electromagnetic fields will curve spacetime, <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-electric-charges-and-m/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Scientific American</a>. So whether it is mass or energy, they both will affect the curvature of spacetime, and the sun's total impact on spacetime will not change.  </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-29T19:32:21.227Z
2020-02-29T21:16:59.440Z
2020-02-29T21:16:59.440Z
Bob516
<p>Theoretically you can create a black hole from just energy.  Although the amount of energy required to be focused in one spot is impractically huge. And why it’s easier to do it with matter.</p>

<p>So the energy inside the sun should still contribute to its gravitational effect on other bodies until it exits the surface. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-02T18:54:53.577Z
A photon inside a star does not have mass. By the definition of a photon is a massless particle.  The photon doesn't add to the star's mass.
Bob516
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-02T17:33:18.550Z
2020-03-02T20:15:40.493Z
2020-03-02T20:15:40.493Z
Steven
<p>In <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/35255/7982">this answer</a> they say:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>While the conversion of mass matter† to energy in the Sun's core now represents a loss of mass proper matter, it turns out that that energy (trapped in the Sun and slowly diffusing towards the surface) will have the same gravitational attraction as the matter it came from until it actually escapes the Sun!</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Now I expect that when mass is converted to energy, it has become an electromagnetic wave that can propagate through matter or empty space. </p>

<p>My question is: <strong>How does energy (from fusion reactions still inside the sun) still have gravitational attraction?</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-29T10:15:56.980Z
Energy and mass are both equivalent . E=m c**2.
planetmaker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-29T10:19:48.030Z
Thanks - does that imply that energy has gravitational attraction?
hawkeye
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2020-02-29T11:42:42.273Z
yes, exactly that
planetmaker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-29T13:47:50.053Z
`+1` @hawkeye this is definitely a good question and while I am sure the answer is correct I can't explain why, so it deserves a much better answer than I can write!
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-29T14:09:22.130Z
"it has become an electromagnetic wave that can propagate through matter or empty space."    This isn't really true, as you note in your quote.   The electromagnetic wave is very much trapped by all the Sun's matter.  It takes a long time for the photons to work their way through all the mass in the sun, bouncing around for a long time before making it into space.
userLTK
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-01T10:38:53.560Z
Spacetime curvature is caused by [stress-energy-momentum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress%E2%80%93energy_tensor); rest mass is "just" a very concentrated form of energy.
PM 2Ring
<the-sun><gravity><mass>
How does energy (from fusion reactions still inside the sun) still have gravitational attraction?
hawkeye
# How does energy (from fusion reactions still inside the sun) still have gravitational attraction?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-02-29)

In [this answer](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/35255/7982) they say:

> While the conversion of mass matter† to energy in the Sun's core now represents a loss of mass proper matter, it turns out that that energy (trapped in the Sun and slowly diffusing towards the surface) will have the same gravitational attraction as the matter it came from until it actually escapes the Sun!

Now I expect that when mass is converted to energy, it has become an electromagnetic wave that can propagate through matter or empty space.

My question is: **How does energy (from fusion reactions still inside the sun) still have gravitational attraction?**

**Tags:** the-sun, gravity, mass

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Energy and mass are both equivalent . E=m c**2.  
> **username_0**: Thanks - does that imply that energy has gravitational attraction?  
> **username_1**: yes, exactly that  
> **username_2**: `+1` @username_0 this is definitely a good question and while I am sure the answer is correct I can't explain why, so it deserves a much better answer than I can write!  
> **username_3**: "it has become an electromagnetic wave that can propagate through matter or empty space."    This isn't really true, as you note in your quote.   The electromagnetic wave is very much trapped by all the Sun's matter.  It takes a long time for the photons to work their way through all the mass in the sun, bouncing around for a long time before making it into space.  
> **username_4**: Spacetime curvature is caused by [stress-energy-momentum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress%E2%80%93energy_tensor); rest mass is "just" a very concentrated form of energy.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2020-02-29. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

I think it is best not to think of energy having a gravitational attraction, rather that energy, like mass, (since they are equivalent keeping in mind c) will curve spacetime. Electric charges, magnets, and electromagnetic fields will curve spacetime, [Scientific American](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-electric-charges-and-m/). So whether it is mass or energy, they both will affect the curvature of spacetime, and the sun's total impact on spacetime will not change.


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### Answer by username_6 on 2020-03-02. Score: 0

Theoretically you can create a black hole from just energy. Although the amount of energy required to be focused in one spot is impractically huge. And why it’s easier to do it with matter.

So the energy inside the sun should still contribute to its gravitational effect on other bodies until it exits the surface.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: A photon inside a star does not have mass. By the definition of a photon is a massless particle.  The photon doesn't add to the star's mass.  

---

