Tagged Questions

-8
votes
0answers
52 views

Are Dark Energy, Dark matter invented concepts to cover up our lack of understanding? [closed]

Dark Energy?, Dark matter? mean two entities that we have no proof of its existence, we do not know what they are and we just invented those names to cover up what we do not know or understand, while ...
1
vote
0answers
37 views

When spacetime expands to the point where galaxy clusters are not observable, will there by any interaction?

It's my understanding that in a few billion years, clusters of galaxies won't be able to directly observe one another due to the expansion of spacetime overcoming gravity between those clusters. ...
1
vote
1answer
109 views

Photon on null geodesic

If given an FRW metric $ds^2 = -dt^2 + a^2(t)[dx^2+dy^2+dz^2]$ and for the trajectory followed by a photon (null geodesic; $ds^2=0$) with affine parameter $\lambda$, know that ...
7
votes
1answer
125 views

Gravitationally bound systems in an expanding universe

This isn't yet a complete question; rather, I'm looking for a qual-level question and answer describing a gravitationally bound system in an expanding universe. Since it's qual level, this needs a ...
5
votes
0answers
86 views

Equation of state of cosmic strings and branes

I'm sure these are basic ideas covered in string cosmology or advanced GR, but I've done very little string theory, so I hope you will forgive some elementary questions. I'm just trying to fit some ...
0
votes
0answers
105 views

Did force of gravity cause macroevolution?

Did big bang create gravity? What role gravity is assumed to have played in the formation (starting from the big bang) of large structures of our universe and what other important physical mechanisms ...
3
votes
3answers
196 views

If everything in the universe doubled in size overnight, would it be noticeable?

By my understanding, if everything doubled in size, such as the Sun and the Earth, and because the space in between them (which is nothing) can't expand, would the gravities greatly change and the ...
0
votes
2answers
122 views

Why is the critical density of the Universe non-zero?

I'm missing something and I wondered if someone could enlighten me. As I understand it, Einstein's equations say, among other things, that matter curves spacetime. I also understand, the Universe has ...
2
votes
1answer
102 views

variations of Einstein equations with conversion between gravitational and non-gravitational energy

I'm looking for existing papers studying a variation to Einstein equation that does not rely on the annoying matter conservation identity: $$ T_{\mu \nu; \nu} = 0 $$ And instead tries to equate the ...
1
vote
0answers
57 views

Thermal gravitational radiation and its detection

To my poor knowledge on the topic, the gravitational waves that are most likely to be detected by LIGO or other experiments do not have thermal spectrum. But I'm not certain. I know that Hawking's ...
3
votes
6answers
583 views

Does gravity slow the expansion of the universe?

Does gravity slow the expansion of the universe? I read through the thread http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=322633 and I have the same question. I know that the universe is not being ...
0
votes
1answer
61 views

Continuum model of the n-body problem?

Consider a collection of $n$ point masses evolving under the influence of gravity. For very large $n$, one might be interested in making a continuum approximation of this system (for cosmology, say). ...
3
votes
2answers
414 views

Zero divergence of energy-momentum tensor and gravitational energy

Trying to teach myself general relativity and have just hit yet another confusion. I'm reading that in curved spacetime the energy-momentum tensor has zero divergence, ie ...
1
vote
1answer
88 views

Do Galactic Black Holes and Extra-Solar Planets change the mass balance of the universe?

With all the recent discoveries of supermassive black holes being at the center of nearly every galaxy, and the proposed "at least one planet" around (probably) every star. Does this affect the ...
8
votes
5answers
3k views

Stephen Hawking says universe can create itself from nothing, but how exactly?

Stephen Hawking says in his latest book The Grand Design that, Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. Is it not circular logic? I mean, how ...
7
votes
3answers
211 views

Is the “Great Attractor” an indicator of the “Multiverse”?

I have heard a bit about the Great Attractor (the gravitational anomaly that seems to be "sweeping" our universe in one direction). Someone (and forgive me, I do not recall the specifics) has ...
7
votes
2answers
486 views

Is dark matter repulsive to dark matter? Why?

I think I saw in a video that if dark matter wasn't repulsive to dark matter, it would have formed dense massive objects or even black holes which we should have detected. So, could dark matter be ...
1
vote
2answers
431 views

What is meant by positive and negative gravity/energy/spactimecurvature?

I have recently come across some cosmological assertions (based on empirical data) about the universe being self contained in the sense that it is entirely capable of coming into existence from a ...
16
votes
3answers
604 views

Are modified theories of gravity credible?

I'm a statistician with a little training in physics and would just like to know the general consensus on a few things. I'm reading a book by John Moffat which basically tries to state how GR makes ...
5
votes
3answers
298 views

Does MOND make good predictions?

Well,it does according to this preprint: http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/arxiv/pdf/1102/1102.3913v1.pdf for certain scales How would be a simple way to explain MOND to a layman? Does it ignore mainstream ...
3
votes
5answers
1k views

How do we know that earth moves around sun and that too in elliptical orbit

I know the basics of solar system like how earth moves around sun, and that we have so many planets, elliptical orbit of earth, and how far is sun from earth etc etc. I want to take a step back and ...
-2
votes
1answer
411 views

History of Man Acquired knowledge of solar system [closed]

I know the basics of solar system like how earth moves around sun, and that we have so many planets, elliptical orbit of earth, and how far is sun from earth etc etc. I want to take a step back and ...
8
votes
6answers
457 views

How Does Hubble's Expansion Affect Two Rope-Tied Galaxies?

Suppose we have two galaxies that are sufficiently far apart so that the distance between them increases due to Hubble's expansion. If I were to connect these two galaxies with a rope, would there be ...
1
vote
1answer
221 views

Why doesn't Brooklyn expand? (Or “Is the expansion of the universe kinematic?”) [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Why space expansion affects matter? Imagine two tiny spacecrafts that are moving with the Hubble flow and so are moving away from each other. Let's assume that they've ...
19
votes
5answers
1k views

Could gravity be an emergent property of nature?

Sorry if this question is naive. It is just a curiosity that I have. Are there theoretical or experimental reasons why gravity should not be an emergent property of nature? Assume a standard model ...