Is the fabric of space a "medium" for light?

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of "space" as a medium and whether it qualifies as one. The arguments presented in favor of space being a medium are not considered valid as they do not have predictive value. The conversation also touches on the purpose of the discussion on a science forum and concludes that it is not the appropriate platform for discussing personal theories or original research. Therefore, the mainstream scientific view is that space is not a medium.
  • #1
GrantSB
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For this question, I don't want to explore what "space" is (quantum chaos or otherwise), or whether it has mass, etc. Instead, I just want to explore if it qualifies as a medium, like air or water.

I have a line of reasoning I want to explore, but as it is based on "space" being considered a medium, I want to explore this hypothesis first.

It would seem to me that is a medium. A couple of possible arguments in favor might be:
- Light is a wave, and generally waves need to propagate in something
- The current theory of red shift posits that light from distant galaxies increases in wavelength as it passes through the space between us. As the fabric of space expands, it stretches out the light waves passing through it.

Does this imply that space qualifies as a medium?
 
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  • #2
GrantSB said:
Does this imply that space qualifies as a medium?

No, because neither of your arguments have any predictive value. That is, saying that "space is a medium" based on your two arguments does not allow us to predict anything that we couldn't already predict; it's just you wanting to put an arbitrarly label on something.

By contrast, when we say air is a "medium", we are referring to specific properties of air, such as the way the sound speed in air depends on temperature, pressure, and density, that have predictive value: they affect the way things propagate in the medium.
 
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  • #3
As I mentioned in my post, I do have a line of reasoning that would have predictive value, but as it is predicated on the proposition that space is a medium like air, I thought I would try to address this first.
 
  • #4
GrantSB said:
I do have a line of reasoning that would have predictive value

This would be either a personal theory or original research, and PF is not the place to discuss that. PF is for discussing already established mainstream science. The mainstream science is that space is not a "medium", for the reason I gave in my previous post.

Thread closed.
 

FAQ: Is the fabric of space a "medium" for light?

What is the "fabric of space"?

The "fabric of space" refers to the concept of space-time, which is the four-dimensional continuum in which all physical events occur. It is a fundamental concept in physics, and is often described as the medium in which all matter and energy exist.

Is the fabric of space actually a physical medium?

This is a debated topic in physics, as some scientists argue that space-time is not a physical substance, but rather a mathematical construct. Others believe that space-time has physical properties, such as its ability to bend and warp in the presence of mass and energy.

How does the fabric of space interact with light?

According to the theory of relativity, the fabric of space is responsible for the propagation of light. Light travels through space-time at a constant speed, and its path is affected by the curvature of space-time caused by the presence of mass and energy.

Can the fabric of space be manipulated?

Some scientists believe that space-time can be manipulated through the use of strong gravitational fields or by creating mass and energy. This manipulation can result in phenomena such as gravitational lensing and the bending of light.

How does the understanding of the fabric of space impact our understanding of the universe?

Studying the fabric of space is essential for understanding the laws of physics and the behavior of matter and energy in the universe. It has also led to advancements in technologies such as GPS and satellite communication, which rely on precise calculations of space-time for their functioning.

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