Time, Space, Fields, Spacetime & General Relativity

In summary, the concept of time and space as fields is not well-defined and would be circular. The current understanding is that spacetime is a manifold with a metric, and without this metric, there would be no concept of spacetime.
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Immortal68
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TL;DR Summary
Can time and space be thought of fields?
Can time and space be thought of fields? And if so, how can this affect spacetime? And then what would this mean for affect general relativity?
 
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  • #2
Immortal68 said:
Can time and space be thought of fields?

I have no idea what that would even mean, so I think the answer is no.
 
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  • #3
Immortal68 said:
Summary:: Can time and space be thought of fields?

Can time and space be thought of fields?
A field is something that has a value at each point in spacetime. So it would be quite circular to define spacetime as a field.
 
  • #4
What we call spacetime actually is a manifold equiped with a metric, which is a tensor field.

In John Stachels words: "no metric, no nothing."
 
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1. What is the concept of time in physics?

In physics, time is considered to be a fundamental quantity that is used to measure the duration of events and the intervals between them. It is often described as the fourth dimension, along with the three dimensions of space. Time is also a relative concept, as it can be perceived differently depending on the observer's frame of reference.

2. How do space and time relate to each other?

According to the theory of relativity, space and time are interconnected and form a single entity called spacetime. This means that any event in the universe can be described by its position in both space and time. The curvature of spacetime is also affected by the presence of mass and energy, which explains the force of gravity.

3. What are fields in physics?

In physics, a field is a physical quantity that has a value at every point in space and time. It is represented by a mathematical function and can be either scalar (such as temperature) or vector (such as electric and magnetic fields). Fields can interact with matter and other fields, resulting in forces and energy exchange.

4. What is the theory of general relativity?

The theory of general relativity is a cornerstone of modern physics, proposed by Albert Einstein in 1915. It describes how gravity works by explaining the relationship between mass, energy, and the curvature of spacetime. It has been extensively tested and is considered one of the most accurate and successful theories in physics.

5. How does general relativity explain the bending of light?

According to general relativity, the presence of mass and energy can cause the curvature of spacetime. This means that light, which has no mass but carries energy, can be affected by the gravitational pull of massive objects. As a result, light can appear to bend when passing near a massive object, such as a star or a black hole.

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