Is spacetime wholly a mathematical construct and not a real thing?
Speaking of what I understood, spacetime is three dimensions of space and one of time. Now, if we look at general relativity, spacetime is generally reckoned as a 'fabric'. So my question is, whether spacetime is real or is just a mathematical construct to understand various things. In addition to this, if it's a mathematical thing, then what does its distortion/bending mean?
general-relativity special-relativity spacetime
asked 2 hours ago
TaskMasterTaskMaster
142
add a comment |
Speaking of what I understood, spacetime is three dimensions of space and one of time. Now, if we look at general relativity, spacetime is generally reckoned as a 'fabric'. So my question is, whether spacetime is real or is just a mathematical construct to understand various things. In addition to this, if it's a mathematical thing, then what does its distortion/bending mean?
general-relativity special-relativity spacetime
asked 2 hours ago
TaskMasterTaskMaster
142
add a comment |
Speaking of what I understood, spacetime is three dimensions of space and one of time. Now, if we look at general relativity, spacetime is generally reckoned as a 'fabric'. So my question is, whether spacetime is real or is just a mathematical construct to understand various things. In addition to this, if it's a mathematical thing, then what does its distortion/bending mean?
general-relativity special-relativity spacetime
asked 2 hours ago
TaskMasterTaskMaster
142
Speaking of what I understood, spacetime is three dimensions of space and one of time. Now, if we look at general relativity, spacetime is generally reckoned as a 'fabric'. So my question is, whether spacetime is real or is just a mathematical construct to understand various things. In addition to this, if it's a mathematical thing, then what does its distortion/bending mean?
general-relativity special-relativity spacetime
general-relativity special-relativity spacetime
asked 2 hours ago
TaskMasterTaskMaster
142
asked 2 hours ago
TaskMasterTaskMaster
142
asked 2 hours ago
TaskMasterTaskMaster
142
asked 2 hours ago
TaskMasterTaskMaster
142
asked 2 hours ago
TaskMasterTaskMaster
142
142
add a comment |
add a comment |
3 Answers
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spacetime is three dimensions of space and one of time. ... my question is, whether spacetime is real or is just a mathematical construct
Here is different from there and now is different from then whether you do the math or not. A mathematical construct cannot be the difference between a near miss and a catastrophic collision.
answered 2 hours ago
DaleDale
5,1841826
So do you mean that spacetime depicts a real thing?
– TaskMaster
1 hour ago
1
I am not a big fan of the word “real”, but it is definitely more than just a mathematical construct
– Dale
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Gravitational waves carry energy, momentum, and angular momentum from one point to another. In my book, this makes spacetime just as real as an electromagnetic field, which also transports these quantities. You feel electromagnetic energy whenever you walk outside on a sunny day. If gravity weren’t so weak, you would feel the energy in gravitational waves.
Most physicists consider these fields just as real as matter, which in modern physics is
explained using yet more fields!
answered 1 hour ago
G. SmithG. Smith
5,2791021
add a comment |
Spacetime furnishes the stage upon which all the physics in the universe is acted out, in one way or another. For it to behave in the way we have observed it to, it must have certain properties, and our measurements of those properties are in close correspondence with calculations based on our mathematical models.
Based on this, spacetime is not just a mathematical construct invented to make calculations easier. The constructs are our mathematical models, which are intended to represent the functioning of the universe as it is.
answered 1 hour ago
niels nielsenniels nielsen
16.9k42755
add a comment |
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3 Answers
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3 Answers
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active
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active
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active
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votes
spacetime is three dimensions of space and one of time. ... my question is, whether spacetime is real or is just a mathematical construct
Here is different from there and now is different from then whether you do the math or not. A mathematical construct cannot be the difference between a near miss and a catastrophic collision.
answered 2 hours ago
DaleDale
5,1841826
So do you mean that spacetime depicts a real thing?
– TaskMaster
1 hour ago
1
I am not a big fan of the word “real”, but it is definitely more than just a mathematical construct
– Dale
1 hour ago
add a comment |
spacetime is three dimensions of space and one of time. ... my question is, whether spacetime is real or is just a mathematical construct
Here is different from there and now is different from then whether you do the math or not. A mathematical construct cannot be the difference between a near miss and a catastrophic collision.
answered 2 hours ago
DaleDale
5,1841826
So do you mean that spacetime depicts a real thing?
– TaskMaster
1 hour ago
1
I am not a big fan of the word “real”, but it is definitely more than just a mathematical construct
– Dale
1 hour ago
add a comment |
spacetime is three dimensions of space and one of time. ... my question is, whether spacetime is real or is just a mathematical construct
Here is different from there and now is different from then whether you do the math or not. A mathematical construct cannot be the difference between a near miss and a catastrophic collision.
answered 2 hours ago
DaleDale
5,1841826
spacetime is three dimensions of space and one of time. ... my question is, whether spacetime is real or is just a mathematical construct
Here is different from there and now is different from then whether you do the math or not. A mathematical construct cannot be the difference between a near miss and a catastrophic collision.
answered 2 hours ago
DaleDale
5,1841826
answered 2 hours ago
DaleDale
5,1841826
answered 2 hours ago
DaleDale
5,1841826
answered 2 hours ago
DaleDale
5,1841826
5,1841826
So do you mean that spacetime depicts a real thing?
– TaskMaster
1 hour ago
1
I am not a big fan of the word “real”, but it is definitely more than just a mathematical construct
– Dale
1 hour ago
add a comment |
So do you mean that spacetime depicts a real thing?
– TaskMaster
1 hour ago
1
I am not a big fan of the word “real”, but it is definitely more than just a mathematical construct
– Dale
1 hour ago
So do you mean that spacetime depicts a real thing?
– TaskMaster
1 hour ago
So do you mean that spacetime depicts a real thing?
– TaskMaster
1 hour ago
1
1
I am not a big fan of the word “real”, but it is definitely more than just a mathematical construct
– Dale
1 hour ago
I am not a big fan of the word “real”, but it is definitely more than just a mathematical construct
– Dale
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Gravitational waves carry energy, momentum, and angular momentum from one point to another. In my book, this makes spacetime just as real as an electromagnetic field, which also transports these quantities. You feel electromagnetic energy whenever you walk outside on a sunny day. If gravity weren’t so weak, you would feel the energy in gravitational waves.
Most physicists consider these fields just as real as matter, which in modern physics is
explained using yet more fields!
answered 1 hour ago
G. SmithG. Smith
5,2791021
add a comment |
Gravitational waves carry energy, momentum, and angular momentum from one point to another. In my book, this makes spacetime just as real as an electromagnetic field, which also transports these quantities. You feel electromagnetic energy whenever you walk outside on a sunny day. If gravity weren’t so weak, you would feel the energy in gravitational waves.
Most physicists consider these fields just as real as matter, which in modern physics is
explained using yet more fields!
answered 1 hour ago
G. SmithG. Smith
5,2791021
add a comment |
Gravitational waves carry energy, momentum, and angular momentum from one point to another. In my book, this makes spacetime just as real as an electromagnetic field, which also transports these quantities. You feel electromagnetic energy whenever you walk outside on a sunny day. If gravity weren’t so weak, you would feel the energy in gravitational waves.
Most physicists consider these fields just as real as matter, which in modern physics is
explained using yet more fields!
answered 1 hour ago
G. SmithG. Smith
5,2791021
Gravitational waves carry energy, momentum, and angular momentum from one point to another. In my book, this makes spacetime just as real as an electromagnetic field, which also transports these quantities. You feel electromagnetic energy whenever you walk outside on a sunny day. If gravity weren’t so weak, you would feel the energy in gravitational waves.
Most physicists consider these fields just as real as matter, which in modern physics is
explained using yet more fields!
answered 1 hour ago
G. SmithG. Smith
5,2791021
edited 1 hour ago
answered 1 hour ago
G. SmithG. Smith
5,2791021
answered 1 hour ago
G. SmithG. Smith
5,2791021
answered 1 hour ago
G. SmithG. Smith
5,2791021
5,2791021
add a comment |
add a comment |
Spacetime furnishes the stage upon which all the physics in the universe is acted out, in one way or another. For it to behave in the way we have observed it to, it must have certain properties, and our measurements of those properties are in close correspondence with calculations based on our mathematical models.
Based on this, spacetime is not just a mathematical construct invented to make calculations easier. The constructs are our mathematical models, which are intended to represent the functioning of the universe as it is.
answered 1 hour ago
niels nielsenniels nielsen
16.9k42755
add a comment |
Spacetime furnishes the stage upon which all the physics in the universe is acted out, in one way or another. For it to behave in the way we have observed it to, it must have certain properties, and our measurements of those properties are in close correspondence with calculations based on our mathematical models.
Based on this, spacetime is not just a mathematical construct invented to make calculations easier. The constructs are our mathematical models, which are intended to represent the functioning of the universe as it is.
answered 1 hour ago
niels nielsenniels nielsen
16.9k42755
add a comment |
Spacetime furnishes the stage upon which all the physics in the universe is acted out, in one way or another. For it to behave in the way we have observed it to, it must have certain properties, and our measurements of those properties are in close correspondence with calculations based on our mathematical models.
Based on this, spacetime is not just a mathematical construct invented to make calculations easier. The constructs are our mathematical models, which are intended to represent the functioning of the universe as it is.
answered 1 hour ago
niels nielsenniels nielsen
16.9k42755
Spacetime furnishes the stage upon which all the physics in the universe is acted out, in one way or another. For it to behave in the way we have observed it to, it must have certain properties, and our measurements of those properties are in close correspondence with calculations based on our mathematical models.
Based on this, spacetime is not just a mathematical construct invented to make calculations easier. The constructs are our mathematical models, which are intended to represent the functioning of the universe as it is.
answered 1 hour ago
niels nielsenniels nielsen
16.9k42755
answered 1 hour ago
niels nielsenniels nielsen
16.9k42755
answered 1 hour ago
niels nielsenniels nielsen
16.9k42755
answered 1 hour ago
niels nielsenniels nielsen
16.9k42755
16.9k42755
add a comment |
add a comment |
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