Posts: 105
Threads: 10
Joined: October 10, 2016
Reputation:
1
If there's nothing in empty space, then how does it get warped by gravity?
October 12, 2016 at 5:33 pm
Sorry for making two threads at once, in the same hour, but I have been wondering this. I know that this is probably outside of my capability, and maybe even some of the most adept scientific minds capabilities of understanding, but sometimes people can explain stuff rather understandably.
Basically the question is in the title. If there's nothing in empty space, then how does it get warped by gravity?
Posts: 18510
Threads: 129
Joined: January 19, 2014
Reputation:
91
RE: If there's nothing in empty space, then how does it get warped by gravity?
October 12, 2016 at 5:50 pm
(This post was last modified: October 12, 2016 at 5:51 pm by Alex K.)
Einstein's field equations basically describe how curvature gets communicated between neighboring points in spacetime. In a sense, and speaking very simplistically, the curvature gets communicated by one piece of spacetime getting bent by the next neighboring one, and so on...
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition
Posts: 2084
Threads: 7
Joined: August 14, 2016
Reputation:
10
RE: If there's nothing in empty space, then how does it get warped by gravity?
October 12, 2016 at 5:54 pm
(October 12, 2016 at 5:50 pm)Alex K Wrote: Einstein's field equations basically describe how curvature gets communicated between neighboring points in spacetime. In a sense, and speaking very simplistically, the curvature gets communicated by one piece of spacetime getting bent by the next neighboring one, and so on... So would a field at the lowest end of scale act as such a "stretchy fabric"? Would not the Higgs field having specifically to do with mass conference, having been formed right after the inflation of space-time, be intrinsically linked to "gravity" conferred through space?
"Leave it to me to find a way to be,
Consider me a satellite forever orbiting,
I knew the rules but the rules did not know me, guaranteed." - Eddie Vedder
Posts: 5664
Threads: 219
Joined: June 20, 2016
Reputation:
61
RE: If there's nothing in empty space, then how does it get warped by gravity?
October 12, 2016 at 6:48 pm
(October 12, 2016 at 5:50 pm)Alex K Wrote: Einstein's field equations basically describe how curvature gets communicated between neighboring points in spacetime. In a sense, and speaking very simplistically, the curvature gets communicated by one piece of spacetime getting bent by the next neighboring one, and so on...
Is there actually "nothing" in space?
God thinks it's fun to confuse primates. Larsen's God!
Posts: 19881
Threads: 324
Joined: July 31, 2016
Reputation:
34
RE: If there's nothing in empty space, then how does it get warped by gravity?
October 12, 2016 at 7:10 pm
The curvature is actually a representation of the attraction between two bodies. The attraction can be plotted as a curve, so an analogy of curved space is used to illustrate that fact.
Posts: 2084
Threads: 7
Joined: August 14, 2016
Reputation:
10
RE: If there's nothing in empty space, then how does it get warped by gravity?
October 12, 2016 at 7:25 pm
(This post was last modified: October 12, 2016 at 7:26 pm by Arkilogue.)
(October 12, 2016 at 7:10 pm)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote: The curvature is actually a representation of the attraction between two bodies. The attraction can be plotted as a curve, so an analogy of curved space is used to illustrate that fact.
What is the mechanism of "attraction"? How is the force transmitted/conveyed?
"Leave it to me to find a way to be,
Consider me a satellite forever orbiting,
I knew the rules but the rules did not know me, guaranteed." - Eddie Vedder
Posts: 19881
Threads: 324
Joined: July 31, 2016
Reputation:
34
RE: If there's nothing in empty space, then how does it get warped by gravity?
October 12, 2016 at 7:38 pm
(October 12, 2016 at 7:25 pm)Arkilogue Wrote: (October 12, 2016 at 7:10 pm)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote: The curvature is actually a representation of the attraction between two bodies. The attraction can be plotted as a curve, so an analogy of curved space is used to illustrate that fact.
What is the mechanism of "attraction"? How is the force transmitted/conveyed?
The attraction of two bodies is called gravity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity They put it more clearly than I do.
Posts: 2084
Threads: 7
Joined: August 14, 2016
Reputation:
10
RE: If there's nothing in empty space, then how does it get warped by gravity?
October 12, 2016 at 8:12 pm
(October 12, 2016 at 7:38 pm)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote: (October 12, 2016 at 7:25 pm)Arkilogue Wrote: What is the mechanism of "attraction"? How is the force transmitted/conveyed?
The attraction of two bodies is called gravity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity They put it more clearly than I do. Yeah...that's what we label the observed effect. Gravity is not the cause of gravity.
The question is: "How is the force conveyed?" Gravity is "the work" and something is doing it.
I can think of at least 2 mechanisms in play causing "gravity" if there is a universe panning, space permeating field like the theorized Higgs field which conveys mass to particles.
It can also explain the apparent expansion of space.
"Leave it to me to find a way to be,
Consider me a satellite forever orbiting,
I knew the rules but the rules did not know me, guaranteed." - Eddie Vedder
Posts: 30129
Threads: 304
Joined: April 18, 2014
Reputation:
92
RE: If there's nothing in empty space, then how does it get warped by gravity?
October 12, 2016 at 10:40 pm
(This post was last modified: October 12, 2016 at 10:40 pm by vorlon13.)
And who's to say space is warped ?
Thought experiment:
you're blazing through space in your little excursion pod at 1% the speed of light. "Oh look !!" you exclaim "I'm going to pass near a star, I bet this will be fun!!"
So there you go at 1% the speed of light, passing very close to a star. You're going fast enough the heat and light and radiation will not hurt you or your excursion pod. The star is coming up fast on your right, and zoom! You go past it and off into the inky depths.
And then you think for a second, "Hmm, odd, I never touched the steering controls, and I never felt any sideways force at all, but I'm traveling in a slightly different direction now! What happened?"
Indeed, you're confused, you peer straight ahead through the view screen, and the direction you are traveling is now slightly different, you're aimed a bit off that 3rd star to the right you aimed at months ago. But you never felt a thing, and your excursion pod never thrusted to change your direction at all.
So, did you turn, because it sure looks like you did, or did you travel in a straight line, because that is exactly what it feels like and you never fired thrusters to change direction?
The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it.
Posts: 4664
Threads: 100
Joined: November 22, 2013
Reputation:
39
If there's nothing in empty space, then how does it get warped by gravity?
October 12, 2016 at 11:15 pm
(October 12, 2016 at 7:25 pm)Arkilogue Wrote: (October 12, 2016 at 7:10 pm)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote: The curvature is actually a representation of the attraction between two bodies. The attraction can be plotted as a curve, so an analogy of curved space is used to illustrate that fact.
What is the mechanism of "attraction"? How is the force transmitted/conveyed?
Search all you want but you won't find an answer. Nobody actually knows. We can only observe things and give them names. We don't actually know what the hell it is.
|
