I recently learned what it really means when people say space is constantly expanding. At first I thought it just meant more matter is getting created on the outer areas of the universe or something. But it’s moreso space in the spacial sense is expanding between everything, like a balloon being inflated. This opened up a realm of stuff I hadn’t thought about, with my brain struggling to comprehend how there is finite ‘space’ in that sense. Like how does existence itself have a limit to size? For distance as a concept to exist, the space between atoms has to be finite, and doesn’t break down infinitely. But my brain can’t comprehend this, similar to how it can’t comprehend there being nothing before the big bang. It obviously can’t be infinite because there’d be no existsnce as we know it, but how can it be finite and exist at all?
I guess the question is, how is there a limit to the space between atoms?
In: 127
We don’t know of the universe is finite or infinite. We do know that the *observable* universe is finite. We know this because as we look out, the apparent velocities of cosmic objects gets larger as they get further away from us. We measure these velocities through different methods, but the long and short of it is that when something moves towards or away from you the wavelength of light it emits changes.
As for the space between atoms, the balloon analogy works well. Imagine atoms as dots on a balloon. As you blow up a balloon, the space between the dots (or atoms) expands, but this isn’t due to the movement of the dots themselves.
I had a thought the other day, if the space was infinite, if you moved your hand it would have to travel for an infinity long time to get where you want it to go, so basically it could never reach the destination.
We don’t know of the universe is finite or infinite. We do know that the *observable* universe is finite. We know this because as we look out, the apparent velocities of cosmic objects gets larger as they get further away from us. We measure these velocities through different methods, but the long and short of it is that when something moves towards or away from you the wavelength of light it emits changes.
As for the space between atoms, the balloon analogy works well. Imagine atoms as dots on a balloon. As you blow up a balloon, the space between the dots (or atoms) expands, but this isn’t due to the movement of the dots themselves.
I had a thought the other day, if the space was infinite, if you moved your hand it would have to travel for an infinity long time to get where you want it to go, so basically it could never reach the destination.
Tbh no one really knows most of these things for certain. You can always come up with a theory to explain all these things but what is 100% true is controversial there is also a theory that the universe is static and always been here and the big bang was just one of many in our one universe. Since jameswebb sees galaxies that seem to exist before the big bang. You might like a series I like called closer to truth. Closertotruth.com
Tbh no one really knows most of these things for certain. You can always come up with a theory to explain all these things but what is 100% true is controversial there is also a theory that the universe is static and always been here and the big bang was just one of many in our one universe. Since jameswebb sees galaxies that seem to exist before the big bang. You might like a series I like called closer to truth. Closertotruth.com
At the current time, space is expanding on a large scale. Small scale structures and galaxies are still bound by gravity.
If the expansion rate increases, it could over power the other forces and possibly the strong nuclear force. Then atoms could fly apart.
At this time it isn’t strong enough on a small scale.
The big bang applies to the universe but it is defined with the observable universe. This leads to confusion when discussing a singularity and an infinite universe. The observable universe has a radius of 46 billion light years. Rolling back the clock the observable universe was much closer together, hot and dense. Around the size of a grape fruit. The rest of the outside/unkown/infinite universe was on top of it, in the same hot dense state. That state could have been infinte or it could possibly have an edge we can’t detect. Our math break downs with infinity. I don’t think the entire universe was collapsed on us, it was just in the hot/dense state but still infinte.
At the current time, space is expanding on a large scale. Small scale structures and galaxies are still bound by gravity.
If the expansion rate increases, it could over power the other forces and possibly the strong nuclear force. Then atoms could fly apart.
At this time it isn’t strong enough on a small scale.
The big bang applies to the universe but it is defined with the observable universe. This leads to confusion when discussing a singularity and an infinite universe. The observable universe has a radius of 46 billion light years. Rolling back the clock the observable universe was much closer together, hot and dense. Around the size of a grape fruit. The rest of the outside/unkown/infinite universe was on top of it, in the same hot dense state. That state could have been infinte or it could possibly have an edge we can’t detect. Our math break downs with infinity. I don’t think the entire universe was collapsed on us, it was just in the hot/dense state but still infinte.
People say a big bang but it was really an explosion of matter and I assume we might be able to say space too. I took ponder this stuff all the time
People say a big bang but it was really an explosion of matter and I assume we might be able to say space too. I took ponder this stuff all the time
Latest Answers