Final answer:
Gravitational lensing is the bending of light by gravity as it passes around a massive object, confirming that gravity affects the path of light and distorts space-time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The bending of light by gravity as it goes around a massive object is known as gravitational lensing. This phenomenon aligns with Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity, which states that a gravitational field distorts the space-time continuum and affects the motion of light. Despite light having no rest mass, it follows the shortest path through the curved space-time, which can appear as a bent path around massive objects like galaxies. This effect can be observed on a galactic scale when light from a distant galaxy is "lensed" into several images, due to the gravitational influence of another galaxy between the source and the observer. Gravitational lensing not only confirms the principles of general relativity but also assists in the study of dark matter and the red shift being proportional to distance.