Is space made up of individual units?

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In summary: There are a few possible ways that space-time could be quantized, but all of them have serious problems. In particular, they all lead to strange new physics that we have yet to understand.
  • #1
CosmicVoyager
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Greetings,

Is space made up of individual units like pixels on a computer screen?

And the amount of space in the universe is increasing?

If so, I'm curious how to calculate how often a new pixel comes into existence between any two existing pixels? Or if a new pixel comes into existence every certain number of pixels across, how often does that happen?

Thank
 
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  • #2
In superstring theories, in fact, there is a minimum distance.
But it is incorrect to imagine it as pixels on a screen.
 
  • #3
CosmicVoyager said:
Greetings,

Is space made up of individual units like pixels on a computer screen?

And the amount of space in the universe is increasing?

If so, I'm curious how to calculate how often a new pixel comes into existence between any two existing pixels? Or if a new pixel comes into existence every certain number of pixels across, how often does that happen?

Thank
If space-time is divided in some manner, it won't be divided in any sort of ordered fashion (if it were ordered, that would set a preferred rest frame, which would mean that relativity couldn't work). So the space-time points available for matter to occupy would have to be randomly distributed. And with a random distribution, there is no problem with new positions popping into or out of existence.
 
  • #4
Chalnoth said:
If space-time is divided in some manner, it won't be divided in any sort of ordered fashion (if it were ordered, that would set a preferred rest frame, which would mean that relativity couldn't work). So the space-time points available for matter to occupy would have to be randomly distributed. And with a random distribution, there is no problem with new positions popping into or out of existence.

I have been thinking space was like a grid, and did not understand how saying space curves explained anything since no matter how you twist the grid everything still follows the grid lines. Curving space would not affect anything any more than a bending a flexible computer display would.

- So what is the structure of space? Are the units moving around like molecules in a liquid? What are the properties of space? What substance is it like?

- Does the creation of new space consume something else? Photons moving through expanding space lose energy, right? Is that energy being converted into space?
 
  • #5
CosmicVoyager said:
I have been thinking space was like a grid, and did not understand how saying space curves explained anything since no matter how you twist the grid everything still follows the grid lines. Curving space would not affect anything any more than a bending a flexible computer display would.
This is insufficient. Basically, there are many geometries that cannot be represented by a grid without tearing or singularities. A simple example is a sphere: it is not possible to wrap a flat surface so that it covers an entire sphere without tearing or singularities. This is a pretty general rule. It is possible to write down grids that somewhat accurately describe space-time over a limited area, but for most geometries it isn't possible to write down a single grid that describes the entire space-time. This does indicate that the fundamental nature of space-time, whatever it is, cannot be a grid.

CosmicVoyager said:
- So what is the structure of space? Are the units moving around like molecules in a liquid? What are the properties of space? What substance is it like?
Well, we don't know. This would require a theory of quantum gravity, which we don't have yet.

CosmicVoyager said:
- Does the creation of new space consume something else? Photons moving through expanding space lose energy, right? Is that energy being converted into space?
Highly unlikely. It is more likely that the space-time points simply arise as a result of the amount of mass-energy nearby, similar to how photons simply appear out of the vacuum as a result of nearby electric charge.
 
  • #6
curved space is possible with a grid
the layout of the grid can't change but the 'distance' between any 2 neighboring elements can change.
 
  • #7
For some reason I came away from my Physics class 30 years ago thinking that space and time were quantized. Something about the smallest possible distance being Plancks constant h. I hadnt questioned that until now.
 
  • #8
Tanelorn said:
For some reason I came away from my Physics class 30 years ago thinking that space and time were quantized. Something about the smallest possible distance being Plancks constant h. I hadnt questioned that until now.
Yes, well, that is a general expectation of quantum gravity. It isn't, however, possible for space-time to be quantized in a regular way.
 

1. Is space made up of individual units?

This is a complex question with no definitive answer. Some scientists believe that space is made up of individual units, known as quantized space, while others believe that space is continuous and has no smallest unit. The concept of quantized space is still a subject of debate and further research is needed to fully understand the nature of space.

2. What evidence supports the idea of quantized space?

The main evidence for quantized space comes from the theory of quantum mechanics, which describes the behavior of particles at a very small scale. In this theory, space and time are treated as discrete units, suggesting that space could also be made up of individual units. Additionally, some experiments have shown discrete properties of space, such as the quantization of light and the existence of the Planck length.

3. How do individual units of space affect our understanding of the universe?

If space is indeed made up of individual units, it would have significant implications for our understanding of the universe. It could help explain the fundamental forces and properties of the universe, such as gravity and the speed of light. It could also shed light on the concept of the Big Bang and the expansion of the universe.

4. Are there any potential drawbacks to the concept of quantized space?

One potential drawback is that the concept of quantized space is still theoretical and has not been fully proven. It also poses challenges to our current understanding of space and time, which may need to be revised if the theory is found to be true. Additionally, the idea of quantized space may not be compatible with some other theories, such as general relativity.

5. How can we further investigate the nature of space and its units?

Scientists are using various methods to study and test the concept of quantized space. This includes experiments with high-energy particles, observations of cosmic radiation, and theoretical models. As technology advances, we may be able to gather more evidence and insights into the nature of space and its individual units.

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