[Novice] Why isn't Time Space?

[JDude13]

I know what you're thinking but hear me out.

Why doesn't the dimension of time act as a spatial dimension?
That is to say why can we move as we wish in space but not time?
Why are there three spatial dimensions but only one time dimension?
Is there any scientific theory to account for time not being space and vice versa?

 

[bcrowell]

Is there any scientific theory to account for time not being space and vice versa?

In relativistic parlance, what you're asking is why spacetime has the "signature" it does ("signature" meaning 3 spatial dimensions plus one time dimension).

General relativity is the only scientific theory we have that describes these things and that has been thoroughly verified by experiment. GR is totally agnostic about the signature. We study 3+1 because that's what we observe the universe has. The field equations of GR work equally well with any other signature. The standard formulation of GR is also incapable of addressing the question of whether the signature could ever change.

It's also possible that spacetime is not really 3+1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_extra_dimension

It's possible that theories of quantum gravity (e.g., loop quantum gravity) could give a more fundamental explanation for why we observe the signature that we observe. However, nobody has a working theory of quantum gravity yet, and even if we get one, there is not much chance IMO that it will ever be testable by experiment with foreseeable technology.

 

[nitsuj]

In relativistic parlance, what you're asking is why spacetime has the "signature" it does ("signature" meaning 3 spatial dimensions plus one time dimension).

General relativity is the only scientific theory we have that describes these things and that has been thoroughly verified by experiment. GR is totally agnostic about the signature. We study 3+1 because that's what we observe the universe has. The field equations of GR work equally well with any other signature. The standard formulation of GR is also incapable of addressing the question of whether the signature could ever change.

It's also possible that spacetime is not really 3+1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_extra_dimension

It's possible that theories of quantum gravity (e.g., loop quantum gravity) could give a more fundamental explanation for why we observe the signature that we observe. However, nobody has a working theory of quantum gravity yet, and even if we get one, there is not much chance IMO that it will ever be testable by experiment with foreseeable technology.

Im having the issue not being able to separate the two (just through thinking mind you). Why doesn't L*W*D=time. or more specificaly L*W*D=Spacetime (not just space)

When I hear the perspective of field experts it sounds to me as if time is always there, regardless or 2,3,4 or no dimensions ("no dimensions" but the time dimension).

EDIT: to correct SP demention to the more accepted dimension lol opps