Does space have a physical role in the jerk of acceleration?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of "jerk" in acceleration, particularly in the context of space's role in this phenomenon. Participants explore the relationship between acceleration, force, and the nature of space, with examples involving hypothetical scenarios in deep space.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the role of space in the experience of "jerk" when an object accelerates, suggesting that without space, the concept of force may not make sense.
  • Another participant describes the sensation of acceleration using a car analogy, explaining how forces are felt differently when at rest versus when accelerating.
  • A participant asserts that gravity and acceleration are not equivalent, emphasizing that the acceleration due to a rocket's thrust is a proper acceleration distinct from gravitational effects.
  • GHWells highlights the importance of discussing the "jerking" effect from acceleration and expresses a desire to explore the topic from various perspectives, indicating that the discussion should not be reduced to previous questions.
  • Some participants reference philosophical perspectives on time and space, suggesting that these concepts are fundamental to understanding motion and acceleration.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relationship between space, force, and acceleration. There is no consensus on the role of space in the experience of "jerk," and the discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives.

Contextual Notes

Some participants indicate that the questions raised may reflect a misunderstanding of basic physics concepts, suggesting that these ideas should have been addressed in earlier studies before tackling relativity.

Seminole Boy
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Does space have a physical role in the "jerk" of acceleration?

This "jerk" that the great Einstein talks about in his book is really confusing me. Without space, there seems not to be a medium through which matter can move, thusing allow it (matter) to make sense of "force."

I'll use one golden retriever in this example. Her name is Isabelle.

Isabelle is suspended in deep, deep space. Suddenly she turns on her rocket booster. She accelerates. Okay, now she feels this "jerk" Einstein talks about. From my understanding, this is a "force." Gravity (force of nature) is equivalent to acceleration. Okay, but what role does space (maybe spacetime) have in the golden retriever's feeling of this jerk?

The easy answer is: without space, nothing exists. I accept that. I'm just wondering if space has some unacknowledged role in the "jerk" matter feels when it is accelerated or decelerated. Or does space play no physical role in this?
 
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Seminole Boy said:
This "jerk" that the great Einstein talks about in his book is really confusing me. Without space, there seems not to be a medium through which matter can move, thusing allow it (matter) to make sense of "force."

I'll use one golden retriever in this example. Her name is Isabelle.

Isabelle is suspended in deep, deep space. Suddenly she turns on her rocket booster. She accelerates. Okay, now she feels this "jerk" Einstein talks about. From my understanding, this is a "force." Gravity (force of nature) is equivalent to acceleration. Okay, but what role does space (maybe spacetime) have in the golden retriever's feeling of this jerk?

The easy answer is: without space, nothing exists. I accept that. I'm just wondering if space has some unacknowledged role in the "jerk" matter feels when it is accelerated or decelerated. Or does space play no physical role in this?
The answers haven't changed since the last time you asked this question:
Seminole Boy said:
My question: Will Billy, who is "accelerating", feel a "jerk" when he changes his rates of motion ("accelerates" of "decelerates"? If so, why?

I know we--or the pups--can SEE the relative motion, but in deep space, how can any of these goldens actually feel the difference between being at rest or accelerating?
My answer was (and still is):
ghwellsjr said:
A simple answer to your last question: when you are sitting at rest at a stop light in your car, you feel only the force of gravity pressing you down in your seat. When you step on the gas, you also feel the force of acceleration pressing you back in your seat. Or if you are traveling at some speed down the road and you make a turn, you feel yourself being pushed to one side of the car. In a weightless environment, you wouldn't feel the downward force but you would feel the backward force when you fire your thruster and it would go away when you turn the thruster off. Do you really have a problem with this?
And you said:
Seminole Boy said:
The Great Peter Donis, DaleSpam, and GHWells explained what I was missing. Great job, guys, and thanks! If a mentor wants to close the thread, feel free to do so.
What happened?
 
Time keeps everything from happening at once;
space keeps everything from happening at the same location.

Things would be really confusing otherwise!
 
Seminole Boy said:
From my understanding, this is a "force." Gravity (force of nature) is equivalent to acceleration.
Gravity is equivalent to coordinate acceleration. The acceleration due to the force from the rocket is a proper acceleration. There is no equivalence between it and gravity.
 
GHWells:

Naty1 brings up a good point that you did not. This "jerking" from acceleration is important, and I'm trying to look at it from different angles. In yesterday's post, I said nothing about space's role in this, so just because my question involves golden retrievers, you needn't reduce it to being a copy of yesterday's question. There's a lot to mine in discussing acceleration.
 
Seminole Boy said:
GHWells:

Naty1 brings up a good point that you did not. This "jerking" from acceleration is important, and I'm trying to look at it from different angles. In yesterday's post, I said nothing about space's role in this, so just because my question involves golden retrievers, you needn't reduce it to being a copy of yesterday's question. There's a lot to mine in discussing acceleration.
I actually thought Naty1 was trying to be funny (in frustration).

You're looking for space to be a medium so that matter can make sense of force and motion?

It is very difficult to figure out what you are concerned about. You are asking some very basic questions that have nothing to do with relativity. They are the kind of issues that you should have learned about from studying general physics long before you take on relativity.
 
Naty1 said:
Time keeps everything from happening at once;
space keeps everything from happening at the same location.

Didn't John Wheeler once put it: "time keeps everything from happening at once; space keeps everything from happening to me."
 
As mentioned before, it is neither unnecessary nor desirable to start multiple threads on the same topic.
 

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