As a consequence of the Lorentz transformations, time and space transform into each other when changing reference frame. This calls for a unified description: Minkowski spacetime.
-1
votes
1answer
42 views
How we can calculate time as per Sun's position rather using country clock. [closed]
Having a formula to calculate time as per Sun Position should show some minor difference of time within cities at a difference of few 100 miles.
1
vote
1answer
58 views
Are branes in 4D-spacetime moving, or are they static?
Given that a worldline, worldsheet, worldvolume, are representation in a 4D-spacetime of a point particle, a string or a brane, respectively, I was wondering if those objects necessarily have to be ...
14
votes
2answers
472 views
Has the concept of non-integer $(n+m)$-dimensional spacetime ever been investigated by theoretical physicists?
The following image serves to aid the reader in understanding the "privileged character" of $3+1$-spacetime.
The wikipedia article on spacetime, and the sub-article "The priveleged character of ...
6
votes
2answers
366 views
Some questions regarding $n+m$-dimensional spacetime [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Has the concept of non-integer $(n+m)$-dimensional spacetime ever been investigated by theoretical physicists?
The following image:
serves to aid the reader in ...
4
votes
2answers
208 views
Space-time geometry and metric
I am confused in one question in general relativity, why we can always express a space-time geometry only by metric. It means a metric, which is just about distance in tangent space, can tell us all ...
0
votes
0answers
77 views
Sequence of events in special relativity [closed]
I am taking a general education course on special relativity, and get quite confused by problems asking about which event happens first according to different observers. Is there an effective way to ...
5
votes
2answers
181 views
Do objects with mass “suck in” spacetime?
I don't really understand the general theory of relativity (GTR) really deeply, but according to my understanding, the GTR say that gravitation is caused by the curvature of spacetime by objects with ...
2
votes
2answers
174 views
What equations do I use to do basic time dilation problems?
I understand the concepts of relativity, but I don't know where to go to set up equations to do any actual calculations. For example, what equations would I use to find out the following:
A ship ...
4
votes
5answers
495 views
What is the extent of the universe?
Is there any realistic, understandable, provable (even in some extent) explanation/model for the extent of the universe?
What is its shape? and Why? I mean physical explanations not philosophical ...
5
votes
2answers
377 views
What's the difference between space and time?
I'm having a hard time understanding how changing space means changing time. In books I've read people are saying "space and time" or "space-time" but never explain what the difference is between the ...
8
votes
2answers
393 views
Is spacetime simply connected?
As I've stated in a prior question of mine, I am a mathematician with very little knowledge of Physics, and I ask here things I'm curious about/things that will help me learn.
This falls into the ...
8
votes
3answers
808 views
Can spacetime be non-orientable?
This question asks what constraints there are on the global topology of spacetime from the Einstein equations. It seems to me the quotient of any global solution can in turn be a global solution. In ...
29
votes
6answers
1k views
What is known about the topological structure of spacetime?
General relativity says that spacetime is a Lorentzian 4-manifold $M$ whose metric satisfies Einstein's field equations. I have two questions:
What topological restrictions do Einstein's equations ...
2
votes
1answer
163 views
Why does the universe exhibit three large-scale spatial dimensions? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is 3+1 spacetime as privileged as is claimed?
Regardless of your favorite theory of how many dimensions the universe has in total, the universe seems to have a deep ...
22
votes
5answers
1k views
Is 3+1 spacetime as privileged as is claimed?
I've often heard the argument that having 3 spatial dimensions is very special. Such arguments are invariably based on certain assumptions that do not appear to be justifiable at all, at least to me. ...
31
votes
5answers
2k views
Does Coulomb's Law, with Gauss's Law, imply the existence of only three spatial dimensions?
Coulomb's Law states that the fall-off of the strength of the electrostatic force is inversely proportional to the distance squared of the charges.
Gauss's law implies that a the total flux through a ...
-4
votes
1answer
205 views
What do scientists believe about existence in dimensions? [closed]
I couldn't really think of a suitable question title, I'm not sure if it's completely related or not.
But this is as far as I know (well, I thought it all up last night and it seemed extremely ...
2
votes
2answers
162 views
What's the difference between two Hydrogen atoms?
If we are given two Hydrogen atoms, would the only difference between them would be their quantum state (Energy level or eigen value, and the corresponding Orbital or eigen state) and their location ...
1
vote
2answers
147 views
Special relativity, spacetime, velocity and units
We all know that space and time are the fundamental units, means no mathematical expression can express their relation to other variable fundamentally. But as we know that moving rod has a contracted ...
0
votes
1answer
114 views
Time Contraction
This is my first time posting on this site. I am a computer programmer that stumbled across a physics text book and have a question on special relativity. So firstly, I understand that there is no ...
8
votes
1answer
504 views
Is String Theory formulated in flat or curved spacetime?
String Theory is formulated in 10 or 11 (or 26?) dimensions where it is assumed that all of the space dimensions except for 3 (large) space dimensions and 1 time dimension are a compact manifold with ...
4
votes
2answers
111 views
Real, non-constant scalar field with special properties in class of 4-dimensional spacetimes
David Deutsch (Oxford University) asked the following question which I think is an interesting one:
In what class of 4-dimensional spacetimes does there exist a real, non-constant scalar field φ with ...
3
votes
1answer
257 views
Problem with convergent geodesics at 2D sphere
There is a chapter on general relativity in the book Spacetime Physics Introduction To Special Relativity by Taylor and Wheeler, which qualitatively explains how attractive gravitational force can be ...
3
votes
0answers
77 views
How would an observer perceive movement on a train that's travelling near the speed of light?
Person A is on Earth and a train (or whatever you want to imagine) travels past him at near the speed of light. How would person A perceive movement on the ship? If time is slowed on the ship from the ...
2
votes
2answers
190 views
Did the universe always have 4 space time dimensions?
Is the dimensionality of spacetime in all usual models constant?
1
vote
1answer
138 views
Is there a relation between the number of dimensions of space time and the number of fundamental forces?
Is there a relation between the number of dimensions of space time and the number of fundamental forces?
Also, did the universe always have 4 space time dimensions?
And could there exist a world ...
0
votes
0answers
92 views
QFT on fixed Robertson-Walker background spacetime [closed]
What's known about QFT (or even QM) on fixed, but non-Minkowski spacetimes such as the cosmological Robertson-Walker background defined by:
$ ds^2 = c^2 dt^2 - a(t)^2 * (dx^2 + dy^2 + dz^2) $
By ...
1
vote
1answer
129 views
Symmetries of spacetime and objects over it
I guess according to mathematical didactic, we first think of spacetime as a set and we reason about elements of its topology and then it's furthermore equipped with a metric. Appearently it is this ...
7
votes
7answers
1k views
Why are extra dimensions necessary?
Some theories have more than 4 dimensions of spacetime. But we only observe 4 spacetime dimensions in the real world, cf. e.g. this Phys.SE post.
Why are the theories (e.g. string theory) that ...
5
votes
1answer
329 views
Intuition for multiple temporal dimensions
It’s easy, relatively speaking, to develop an intuition for higher spatial dimensions, usually by induction on familiar lower-dimensional spaces. But I’m having difficulty envisioning a universe with ...
2
votes
1answer
205 views
What bends fabric of space-time?
I know that mass can bend fabric of space-time, which causes gravity by making an object curve around a planet or star but is there anything else that can bend it?
Other energy sources, forces ...
2
votes
3answers
624 views
What are some approaches to discrete space-time used in modern physics?
This thought gave rise to some new questions in my mind.
What are the consequences for:
How would it affect duality i.e. particle, wave property of photons?
How does this statement affect the ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
Is reality discrete at the quantum level? (…and what does it imply not only mathematically?)
On a quantum scale the smallest unit is the Planck scale, which is a discrete measure.
There several question that come to mind:
Does that mean that particles can only live in a discrete grid-like ...
3
votes
3answers
522 views
How could spacetime become discretised at the Planck scale?
I didn't have much luck getting a response to this question before so I have tried to reword and expand it a little:
In early 2010 I attended this inaugural lecture by string theorist- Prof. ...
5
votes
2answers
112 views
Why does the homogeneity of the universe require inflation?
They say inflation must have occured because the universe is very homogeneous. Otherwise, how could one part of the universe reach the same temperature as another when the distance between the parts ...
15
votes
3answers
740 views
What is the length of 1 second in meters
If time is treated as a fourth dimension of spacetime, what is relation between length and time units?
Or in other words, how can I convert time units to length units, for instance seconds to meters?
...
5
votes
0answers
156 views
Penrose Conformal diagram for flat 2-dim Lorentz space-time
I have the following metric
$$ds^2 ~=~ Tdv^2 + 2dTdv,$$
defined for
$$(v,T)~\in~ S^1\times \mathbb{R},$$
e.g. $v$ is periodic.
This is the according Penrose diagram:
Question 1) Is the ...
3
votes
2answers
223 views
The order of seeing event in different spacetimes
Assume this question:
Three events A, B, C are seen by observer O to occur in the order ABC. Another observer O$^\prime$ sees the events to occur in the order CBA. Is it possible that a third ...
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votes
1answer
72 views
Is it fabric of space or fabric of space-time?
Very quick question, in the general relativity is it fabric of space, fabric of space-time or both mentioned?
5
votes
2answers
252 views
What really is Spacetime?
What is a good definition on Space, Time and the most specific topic "Spacetime"? Because someone told me that spacetime is the foundation of the entire universe?
And also, Is it possible to create ...
15
votes
7answers
1k views
Does Quantum Mechanics assume space and time are continuous?
I was confused when I was listening to a Quantum Mechanics lecture online. Are space and time assumed to be continuous or discrete in Quantum Mechanics?
I can see the question is vague, but this is ...
5
votes
4answers
816 views
Did spacetime start with the Big bang?
Did spacetime start with the Big Bang? I mean, was there any presence of this spacetime we are experiencing now before big bang? And could there be a presence/existence of any other space-time before ...
1
vote
1answer
122 views
Is time the rate at which one moves through space
I'll start out with the cliche attempt in a protective shield of my dignity. I am a young highschool kid just eager to learn and understand. If I'm way off or this is already a known idea, or maybe ...
9
votes
5answers
466 views
Is it possible for one black hole to pull an object out of another black hole?
Suppose we have a spacecraft just inside the event horizon of a black hole, struggling to escape, but slowly receding into it. Another (bigger) black hole expands until its event horizon includes the ...
2
votes
1answer
62 views
Why is that the space-time associated with the Earth is not shrinking?
If we apply the Friedmann Lemaître equation to the Universe, we find a critical density $\rho_c$ : if the actual density $\rho$ is under it, the Universe will continue to expand, if it is higher than ...
-9
votes
1answer
201 views
Why are we talking about space curvature as if we know what space is? [closed]
1) Why are we talking about space curvature as if we know what space is?
Every question about gravity seems to evoke an answer involving "space curvature" which seems like an undefined placeholder ...
2
votes
4answers
336 views
Why are objects at rest in motion through spacetime at the speed of light?
I read that an object at rest has such a stupendous amount of energy, $E=mc^2$ because it's effectively in motion through space-time at the speed of light and it's traveling through the time dimension ...
0
votes
1answer
133 views
“Conceptualizing” neutrinos
Layman here. EE and BS physics. I am "content" in viewing photons/electromagnetic radiation as an "emergent" property of spacetime? due to the electrons ("particles..?") and all their activity jumping ...
0
votes
3answers
142 views
The radius of the universe and time
Ok - fair warning - Non-physicist asking dumb-assed questions here again.
I've been reading a lot of Einstein, Feynmann, Ferris etc. I'm just loving this stuff.
But I suddenly found myself looking at ...
-1
votes
1answer
131 views
The expansion of space time (EST)..and the one directional flow of time?
Time flows one way...cause creates effect.
Could the expansion of the universe also cause an expansion of space time in a similar fashion?...and if so, would this phenomenon explain the one way ...
