• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Void in space?

Z

zeusfaber

Member
Is there such an area in space where absolutely nothing exists? Is this possible? If so could it be acted upon by outside forces (gravity, etc)? If not are there any theorys that look in to this?

Please explain.
 
As far as I understand it (not very far) there are some particles around even in deep space, but i'm sure you could find an empty cubic meter or so if you really wanted. According to Einstein gravity would indeed act on this empty area - nearby mass creates a kind of curve in space itself.

I'm not sure you could define that area as having 'nothing' in it, space empty of mass apparently contains some small amount of energy created by quantum effects of which I have absolutely no understanding. I think they call this the cosmological constant.
 
Nope. Every part of space has some CMB photons in it, and some CMB neutrinos as well.


I guess if you looked at a small enough volume you could find something empty, but even still there's zero point energy.
 
This is a very interesting question and is much deeper than first appears. Looking between stars gives fairly empty space (there's some interstellar dust etc), looking between galaxies gives even emptier space and looking between galactic superclusters gives the emptiest space. However, space can never be completely empty for three reasons:

1. If the universe contains at least one luminous body (and it obviously does), that body emits light in every possible direction. Since the universe is expanding at less than or equal to the speed of light, the light from this body will be able to reach every point.

2. Even if the one body above isn't luminous, it will still have mass. The range of gravity is infinite, so every point in space will be subject to "bending" by gravitons (and Higg's bosons, come to think of it).

3. Even in apparently "empty" space, the fabric of space itself contains random fluctuations (which increase in size the more you "zoom in" because of Heisenberg uncertainty) that generate "virtual particle" pairs (this happens at the very edge of a black hole's event horizon).

For EMPTY space to exist you'd need some kind of region that didn't contain any space at all (which is where my knowledge runs into a wall!)...
 
Originally posted by: Phantom1983
This is a very interesting question and is much deeper than first appears. Looking between stars gives fairly empty space (there's some interstellar dust etc), looking between galaxies gives even emptier space and looking between galactic superclusters gives the emptiest space. However, space can never be completely empty for three reasons:

1. If the universe contains at least one luminous body (and it obviously does), that body emits light in every possible direction. Since the universe is expanding at less than or equal to the speed of light, the light from this body will be able to reach every point.

2. Even if the one body above isn't luminous, it will still have mass. The range of gravity is infinite, so every point in space will be subject to "bending" by gravitons (and Higg's bosons, come to think of it).

3. Even in apparently "empty" space, the fabric of space itself contains random fluctuations (which increase in size the more you "zoom in" because of Heisenberg uncertainty) that generate "virtual particle" pairs (this happens at the very edge of a black hole's event horizon).

For EMPTY space to exist you'd need some kind of region that didn't contain any space at all (which is where my knowledge runs into a wall!)...
Click to expand...


Which by definition could only exist outside the known universe
 
Originally posted by: Jeff240sx
Originally posted by: sao123Which by definition could only exist outside the known universe
Click to expand...

Or.. inbetween universes in a multiverse.
Click to expand...

Or u could get a perfectly insulated box that would block out all forms of radiation, clean out the intersteller dust, and close the box. However, it wouldn't be empty for long, as cosmic rays are everywhere, and they can only be deflected by magnetic fields on the scale of those generated by planets.
 
1. If the universe contains at least one luminous body (and it obviously does), that body emits light in every possible direction. Since the universe is expanding at less than or equal to the speed of light, the light from this body will be able to reach every point.
Click to expand...

This is incorrect on at least two counts. First, The universe appears to be expanding at 1.8 times the speed of light. Second, the number of photons released by an object does not (and could not) guarantee that every 'spot' in the (even visible) universe would be hit by one.

See here for a laymans overview...



 
Or u could get a perfectly insulated box that would block out all forms of radiation, clean out the intersteller dust, and close the box. However, it wouldn't be empty for long, as cosmic rays are everywhere, and they can only be deflected by magnetic fields on the scale of those generated by planets.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't matter (no pun intended) particle pairs would be constantly created within the box.
 
Well since the universe is expanding, what is outside of the universe that we are expanding into? Is this "nothing" and I wonder what it would be like, what color do you think it is lol.
 
Originally posted by: Stonejaw
Well since the universe is expanding, what is outside of the universe that we are expanding into? Is this "nothing" and I wonder what it would be like, what color do you think it is lol.
Click to expand...

if there is nothing, then there wouldnt be a color. color requires light and if nothing exists then color is part of that and also cant exist.
 
I'll answer the OPs question with a George Carlin quote. Off his album "A Place for my Stuff," he impersonates Jesus being interviewed in modern times. When asked "What's Limbo like" he replies "I dunno. No one's allowed in there. If anyone was in Limbo it wouldn't be Limbo. Then it would be a place."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top