Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: Ron Maxwell on 20/12/2015 22:28:55
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Is space time just a theoretical concept or is it something that can be detected or defined? It is said that it is what expands rather than the physical parts of the universe, and relativity explains its topography, but do we know what it actually is?
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Can Spacetime be detected?
Yes in a huge variety of ways. It's physical position can be defined by any coordinate system. If it was undetectable then we couldn't see any distance from anywhere to anywhere else.
It not only has a physical presence that can be detected, measured and mapped, it contains energy that can also be measured.
It can be compacted by traveling at it with speed and stretched by traveling away from it at speed.
According to Einstein, it can be bent and twisted and we have done any number of experiments that confirm this view.
As I said at the start, it has physical attributes that can and have been detected, and defined.
Do we know what it actually is?
It is the partner to matter that together gives us an animated Universe. It is the "yen to the yin"
Either one by itself can't do that.
Matter can not be defined without spacetime, and spacetime has nothing to define it without Matter.
On their own both cease to exist, and leave us with pre Big Bang.
Hope that doesn't confuse you even further..
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Thank you, Space Flow.
Your reply doesn't confuse me, rather it makes me want to look further. Thanks for the inspiration.
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Can Spacetime be detected?
Yes in a huge variety of ways.
No it can't be detected because it is virtual, it can be represented.