eli5: How does gravity bend space-time when space is…nothingness? How do you bend nothing?

Question

I understand time has more of a construct to it making it easy to manipulate and bend but I don’t understand how the same can be true for space. Doesn’t the fact that space bends means it something fundamentally rather than nothing emptiness?

In: 7

Answer 1

We don’t know if “spacetime” is fundamentally a real thing. In GR it’s basically a coordinate system. That doesn’t mean it’s real.

Einstein himself cautioned against interpreting the geometric math of GR as something that is fundamental.

If it turns out that spacetime is just a tool of math, your question is moot.