Does universe expansion create new points in space?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the concept of universe expansion and whether it results in the creation of new points in space or spacetime. Participants explore the implications of this idea, considering both theoretical and conceptual aspects of space and its properties.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions if new points in space are created as the universe expands, suggesting that space has interesting properties that might be affected by this creation.
  • Another participant argues that new points in space are not created by expansion, stating that the distance between existing points increases but that there were already an infinite number of points before and after the expansion.
  • A follow-up post suggests looking into "metric expansion" for further understanding, indicating that this concept might provide additional insights.
  • Another participant mentions the difficulty in defining a 'new' point in space without a fixed coordinate system, asserting that the universe lacks a definable ordinal point for such a system.
  • One participant notes that the way the universe expands has interesting ramifications, referencing a related discussion about observing galaxies that recede faster than light and the implications of light reaching us over time.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether new points in space are created by the expansion of the universe. There is no consensus, as some argue against the creation of new points while others explore the implications of such a possibility.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the nature of space and the definition of points within it, which may not be universally agreed upon. The implications of metric expansion and the observational consequences of light signals are also mentioned but not fully resolved.

spaceman spiff
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apologies if this has been asked before:
I'm trying to understand the expansion of the universe and i was wondering. . . . as the universe expands, are new points of space (or is it spacetime) being created?
if the answer is 'yes', what are the ramifications of this? my understanding is that space is not just 'nothing' and that it has some interesting properties. does the creation of more of it make a difference?
 
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No, new points in space are not created by expansion. The distance between two nearby points increases, but there was an infinite number of points between them before the expansion, and there's an infinite number of points between them after the expansion.
 
To follow up on Nugatory's answer, you might find it informative to Google "metric expansion" and check out the link in my signature
 
You cannot define a 'new' point in space without a fixed coordinate system. The universe has no definable ordinal point upon which to base any such coordinate system.
 
The way the universe expands, that is, the way distances increase, does have some interesting 'ramifications'. One discussion is here:

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/observing-galaxies-that-recess-faster-than-c.810525/

Try the first eight or so posts, and if interested, also the Lineweaver and Davis reference in Post#1. That takes some time to absorb, but clarified things for me.

In short, we get to 'see' new things as time passes. Once light is encompassed within the "Hubble radius", the light begins to make progress towards us and we eventually may get to 'see' it...if we live long enough. "see" here means we receive a light signal that was emitted a long time ago.
 
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