Space: Endless or Finite? The Surprising Impact on Shape and Structure

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In summary: Unfortunately for you, this is not the case. You are making baseless assumptions and assumptions without any evidence.
  • #1
spaceends
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Does space go on forever,

or does space end?

There is a "big" difference, if any way you go space goes on forever or if any way you go space ends.

What is a "big" difference between those two ideas?

If space goes on forever any way you go, space does not have a shape.

If space ends any way you go, then space can take a shape.

Space can take a shape, if space ends.

There is another "big" difference whether space ends or not. Can you think of what that is?

You may tell people about this.

Robert Lavelle
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
  • #2
Bear in mind that because our universe is expanding, it has a horizon beyond which we cannot see and will never be able to see. So it appears that we will never know the answer to your question.
 
  • #3
Can you find the "end" of the surface of a balloon? Does a balloon have a shape?
 
  • #4
Integral said:
Can you find the "end" of the surface of a balloon? Does a balloon have a shape?

I was just thinking of Carl Sagan when I read this post.

Space can indeed appear to go on forever from within, but still have a shape from the outside. Space can be curved into a 4th physical dimension but appear flat to us.
 
  • #5
Integral said:
Can you find the "end" of the surface of a balloon? Does a balloon have a shape?

Where do you come up with the idea that the is like a ball and space is on the outside of it, that way you only move in 2 dimentions not three
 
  • #6
spaceends said:
Where do you come up with the idea that the is like a ball and space is on the outside of it, that way you only move in 2 dimentions not three

And`if you wrap a 3d shape around a 4th, you can move in 3d. However anyone with three working braincells knows that that was an analogy. I detect you are either deliberately not getting it to be awkward. Or you are a troll.

Enjoy not being around for long.
 
  • #7
The balloon is an analogy, our universe can have higher dimensional shape that we, stuck in 3d cannot sense.
Aren't you the one speculating about things which you have no practical basis for? I am attempting to show you that you may not have all the information necessary to make the claims you are making. Common sense means nothing in these matters, here on Earth we simply do not have the experiences necessary to logically understand the larger universe. To even think about the shape of the universe we must correlate our observations with a mathematical model. Have you used either?

It must be nice to imagine that you have full knowledge of the universe and that everything you observe from your kitchen table applies exactly.
 

1. Is space really endless or is it finite?

The answer to this question is still a topic of debate among scientists. According to the current scientific understanding, space is believed to be infinite and ever-expanding. However, some theories suggest that space could be finite and curved, similar to the surface of a sphere.

2. How does the endless or finite nature of space impact its shape and structure?

The endless or finite nature of space has a significant impact on its shape and structure. In an endless universe, the shape is believed to be flat, while a finite universe would have a curved shape due to its limited size. Additionally, the distribution of matter and energy would also be affected by the endless or finite nature of space.

3. What evidence supports the idea of an endless universe?

The primary evidence for an endless universe is the observations of the cosmic microwave background radiation. These observations show that the universe is isotropic, meaning it has the same properties in all directions, which suggests that it is infinite and has no boundaries.

4. How does the endless or finite nature of space impact our understanding of time?

The endless or finite nature of space is closely related to the concept of time. In an endless universe, time is believed to have no beginning or end, while in a finite universe, time would have a definite starting point. Moreover, the rate of expansion of the universe would also be affected by the endless or finite nature of space, which would have implications for the measurement of time.

5. Could the endless or finite nature of space change in the future?

As our understanding of the universe continues to evolve, it is possible that our perception of the endless or finite nature of space could change. New evidence or theories could potentially challenge our current understanding and lead to a shift in our perspective. However, at the moment, the evidence suggests that space is indeed endless and ever-expanding.

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