To add comments or start new threads please go to the full version of: How Was Curved Space Formed?
PhysForum Science, Physics and Technology Discussion Forums > Space > Space

roconi
24th August 2009 - 03:23 AM
I have accepted the curved space explanation for gravity, but could not find a good explanation for 'HOW' the curve space was formed.

I have come up with an explanation that makes sense, and I wonder if anyone else has heard of it or if you agree.

My explanation is that --at the beginning of time, after the 'big bang', space was just a homogeneous mass. Then as particles in space started to accumulate mass into clumps, to form bodies, they 'drew' material from the surrounding space, stretching it in towards the body as the mass accumulated. the bigger the body, the greater amount of material was drawn in, the greater the stretch of space.

My explanation seems rather simple, (and naive) so I suspect some brighter brain then mine has already thought of it, but I can't find it . What do you all think?
rpenner
24th August 2009 - 04:18 AM
Um, where it is good, it is not original and where it is original it is not good.

You seem to assume most of GR and then add that the past movement of matter leaves creases or evidence of it's passing in some non-GR sense. But that presumes absolute space or there would be nothing for matter to move against, and would on the face of it seem to be easily distinguishable both from experimental GR but also from hundreds of years of observation of universal gravitation.

So in that light, I point you to the current record of observation and GR and encourage you to read a standard textbook on gravitation. (Author Wald or Authors Misner, Thorne and Wheeler).

http://relativity.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrr-2006-3/
http://books.google.com/books?id=IdAwZ1ei1scC
http://books.google.com/books?id=w4Gigq3tY1kC

Modern ideas of the how of GR include QFT-inspired ideas of a massless spin-2 boson that causes gravity by an effect indistinguishable from space-time curvature.

http://pdg.lbl.gov/2009/reviews/rpp2009-re...avity-tests.pdf
AlexG
24th August 2009 - 04:19 AM
QUOTE (roconi+Aug 23 2009, 10:23 PM)
I have accepted the curved space explanation for gravity, but could not find a good explanation for 'HOW' the curve space was formed.

I have come up with an explanation that makes sense, and I wonder if anyone else has heard of it or if you agree.

My explanation is that --at the beginning of time, after the 'big bang', space was just a homogeneous mass. Then as particles in space started to accumulate mass into clumps, to form bodies, they 'drew' material from the surrounding space, stretching it in towards the body as the mass accumulated. the bigger the body, the greater amount of material was drawn in, the greater the stretch of space.

My explanation seems rather simple, (and naive) so I suspect some brighter brain then mine has already thought of it, but I can't find it . What do you all think?

That's pretty much correct. The mass distribution wasn't completely homogeneous. Quantum indeterminacy lead to microscopic ripples and unevenness. As space expanded, these initial ripples were also stretched. These initial areas of higher density had a greater gravitational field than surrounding lower density areas, and so attracted more matter, which attracted still more matter. 13 billion years latter, we have what we see when we look at the sky.

It's standard cosmological theory.
PhysOrg scientific forums are totally dedicated to science, physics, and technology. Besides topical forums such as nanotechnology, quantum physics, silicon and III-V technology, applied physics, materials, space and others, you can also join our news and publications discussions. We also provide an off-topic forum category. If you need specific help on a scientific problem or have a question related to physics or technology, visit the PhysOrg Forums. Here you’ll find experts from various fields online every day.
To quit out of "lo-fi" mode and return to the regular forums, please click here.