In response to DH, when you say that time and distance are different aspects of the same thing . . . is that "same thing" space time? So, for the spacetime interval s^2 = -(ct)^2 + d^2 we are justified in saying that s^2 = -t^2 + d^2 because distance and time are two different aspects of the...
I am reading a textbook on special relativity and the author says at one point that he switches to natural units where c=1. The way he quickly explains this is by arguing that if c=3 x 10^8 m/s then we are working in units where seconds = 3 x 10^8m . . . . This has always baffled me and I never...
For a while I have wondered if the refraction of light had any connection to gravity on small scales (dare I say . . . quantum gravity?!?). I found this paper in the Cornell University Library. Below is the link and a copy of the opening synopsis that anyone can see without downloading it. . . ...
The information provided was very useful indeed. I think that the snippet that sends the overall message home is the question: "how come our models end at that scale?". Thank you very much.
I have always understood Planck time as being the the smallest amount of time that has any physical significance and the Planck scale as being the region where space and time collapse on each other and all of our mathematics fail. Why are these seemingly magic numbers the end all be all of...
I suppose the question is: where do the theories that treat electrons as point particles fail? Is it possible that these theories are describing electrons from some particular point of view in which they are indeed correctly treated as point particles . . . similar to how particle physics...
. . . I like this excerpt:"Point-like particles are mathematical abstractions with zero size. But even zero-size particles have an extended effect, due to the effect of the field surrounding them . . . The point-like particle is the mathematical abstraction at the center of the particle, but...
With reagrd to Maui's and Bill's latest thoughts:
I found this to be very helpful: http://www.fnal.gov/pub/today/archive/archive_2013/today13-02-15_NutshellReadMore.html
Ok, so what am I missing here? . . . .
1) The Hubble radius is defined as the distance at which objects are moving away from us at the speed of light.
2) The rate at which the universe is expanding is accelerating causing objects objects to move faster as time goes on.
3) In my mind, as a...