: I seem to remember reading, in this newsgroup, that electrical charge can
: distort spacetime in much the same way as gravitational mass does.  Is this
: true?  If so, I have some questions!

Surrounding charge is an electic (and magnetic, if the charge is moving).
There is energy in the fields, so in effect charge gravitates. All forms
of energy do.

: A generally-accepted model of spacetime distortion is the rubber-sheet
: model, where spacetime is displaced along some dimension (or dimensions?)
: orthogonal to the dimensions of 'unstretched' space.  If so, is the
: dimension along which positive charge displaces the same as the dimension
: along which negative charge displaces?  Is either or both the same as the

It is the same, as the energy does not depend on the *sign* of the charge.
[lots o questions snipped]
: Hugh O'Byrne.

If you are asking does a charged *massless* particle gravitate, the answer
is moot as there are no charged massless particles. Were there one, it
would constitute energy and that would gravitate; it would exhibit no
unusual properties gravitywise.

--
Lawrence R. Mead Ph.D. (Lawrence.M...@usm.edu)
Eschew Obfuscation! Espouse Elucidation!
www-dept.usm.edu/~physics/mead.html