Advice for amateur (Matter/Space)

[Zinfandel]

I'm not a physicist or cosmologist, I'm not even a particularly good amateur one either, but it doesn't stop me thinking about it!

Now I've always read that in the beginning there was nothing outside of space. IE What happens if you get to the end of space? Nothing because the only space that exists is the space that is created as it expands OR space is a dimension we're not able to comprehend and you'd come back to where you started.

So, gravity exerts a force on every other object in the universe, the research at the Planck Institute suggests that each galaxy is revolving around a black hole being sucked in, planets are being pulled towards their stars...

If we consider the posibility of a closed universe, then could you not treat matter and space as separate entities (in terms of an inflation theory at least)? So the space is always there, always has been and always will be. But the mass within that space will be attracted to each other until such a point as all matter is consumed within a singularity at which point the inflation begins again.

Not creating space as it goes, simply moving into the space that already existed.

Sorry, I know this is pretty basic stuff, I'm just curious as to opinions .

Thanks

Zinf

 

[Chalnoth]

In General Relativity, space-time is only defined by the matter that occupies it.

 

[Zinfandel]

In General Relativity, space-time is only defined by the matter that occupies it.

Fantastic answer, thank you very much! :).