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Art
Do the virtual particles theorized to exist in the vacuum of space produce a gravitational effect? If so does that mean the virtual particles are a part of the 'missing mass' / dark energy picture?
Isn't this similar to the blackbody radiation infinity problem which was solved by Planck by his discovery of the quantization of electromagnetic radiation? Would a similar solution to the infinity problem be applicable in this case?Avodyne said:Now, what about the vacuum? If you naively add up all the energy of all the virtual particles in any finite volume, the answer is infinity. Ooops! So we have to subtract a constant energy density from the hamiltonian to cancel off this infinity. What's left over, if anything, is the "cosmological constant", which is one possibility for the "dark energy".
Art said:Isn't this similar to the blackbody radiation infinity problem which was solved by Planck by his discovery of the quantization of electromagnetic radiation?
Would a similar solution to the infinity problem be applicable in this case?
LURCH said:I thought the cosmological constant was a repulsive force, not an attractive one; the opposite of gravity?
What does this repulsive force repulse? If it acts on matter then would it not be akin to gravity in one aspect in that large expanses of space would push clumps of matter it envelops such as matter in a galaxy closer together whilst also acting as a kind of anti-gravity in pushing separate galaxies further apart?Avodyne said:A positive cosmological constant has positive energy but negative pressure; it's the negative pressure that results in the repulsion.
Quantum foam is a theoretical concept in quantum physics that describes the constant fluctuation of space-time at a very small scale. It is thought to be made up of virtual particles constantly popping in and out of existence.
Quantum foam has a fluctuating and chaotic structure, which can create tiny variations in the gravitational field. This effect is known as quantum gravity and is thought to play a role in the behavior of black holes and the early universe.
Currently, there is no experimental evidence for the existence of quantum foam. It is a highly theoretical concept and its effects are too small to be detected by current technology.
Studying quantum foam can help us better understand the fundamental nature of space and time. It can also provide insights into the behavior of extreme environments, such as black holes, and potentially lead to the development of a theory of quantum gravity.
Virtual particles are particles that pop in and out of existence in the quantum vacuum, and are thought to be the building blocks of quantum foam. The constant creation and annihilation of these particles contribute to the chaotic nature of quantum foam.