Thought Experiment: Aether Medium

In summary, the conversation revolved around the concept of an invisible and undetectable medium called free space, which would be composed of constituent parts that facilitate the transmittance of waves. The idea of using a thought experiment to explore this concept was discussed, but the forum rules do not allow for personal speculation or exploration of novel concepts. The purpose of the forum is to educate about existing science, not to engage in new scientific research.
  • #1
libertyk
TL;DR Summary
Possible properties of a hypothetical aether type medium.
I would like to conduct a thought experiment. If some form of medium exists, what would it be made of? What form would any constituent parts take? Would those parts exhibit any properties? How would they function as a medium? What relation would the medium have with atoms and other particle structures? Are atoms themselves somehow formed out of medium? If so, how? I have my own answers for all these questions, but would be interested in hearing your thoughts.
 
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  • #2
It would be invisible and undetectable. We would call it free space.
 
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Likes Dale
  • #3
libertyk said:
I would like to conduct a thought experiment.
That isn’t a thought experiment. A thought experiment is where you start with some physical law and apply that law to a hypothetical situation to determine the theorized outcome.
 
  • #4
I agree that it would be physically undetectable. However, in order to function as a medium, it would need to be composed of some constituent parts that interacted in some manner to facilitate the transmittance of waves. If you had to theorize about what would be happening at those scales, what form do you think that process would take?
Baluncore said:
It would be invisible and undetectable. We would call it free space.
 
  • #5
Dale said:
That isn’t a thought experiment. A thought experiment is where you start with some physical law and apply that law to a hypothetical situation to determine the theorized outcome.
Fair enough. Most of my work is in field theories, however, some would claim that perturbations of a ground state is simply a mathematical description used in place of physical mediums. My post is meant to explore the concept hypothetically.
 
  • #6
libertyk said:
If you had to theorize about what would be happening at those scales, what form do you think that process would take?
We don’t permit personal speculation here at PF, so it is not kind to encourage it.
 
  • #7
libertyk said:
Fair enough. Most of my work is in field theories, however, some would claim that perturbations of a ground state is simply a mathematical description used in place of physical mediums. My post is meant to explore the concept hypothetically.
It seems like you have a misunderstanding about the mission of PF. We do not speculate nor do we explore novel concepts. Our mission here is to educate about existing science, not to do new science.

I am closing this thread, and I recommend reading the forum rules to get a better idea about what we are about.
 

What is a thought experiment?

A thought experiment is a mental exercise or hypothetical scenario used to explore and test ideas or theories. It involves imagining a situation or scenario and reasoning through it to understand its implications and potential outcomes.

What is the aether medium?

The aether medium, also known as luminiferous aether, was a hypothetical substance believed to fill the space between objects in the universe. It was thought to be the medium through which light and other electromagnetic waves traveled.

Why was the aether medium proposed?

The aether medium was proposed in the 19th century to explain how light could travel through a vacuum. At the time, it was believed that all waves required a medium to travel through, and since light behaved like a wave, it was thought to also require a medium.

What happened to the concept of the aether medium?

The concept of the aether medium was eventually disproven by the famous Michelson-Morley experiment in 1887. This experiment showed that the speed of light is constant regardless of the observer's motion, which contradicted the idea of an aether medium. This led to the development of the theory of relativity, which does not require a medium for the propagation of light.

Why is the aether medium still studied in thought experiments?

The aether medium is still studied in thought experiments because it represents a significant concept in the history of science and helps us understand how scientific theories and ideas have evolved over time. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of experimentation and evidence in validating scientific theories.

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