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Right, until someone comes along who can put this in to big words and possibly paragraphs, as far as I understand it, the space time continuum is a way of combining the ideas of space and time in mathamical type way which then helps physcists come up with/expand new ideas. (My most recent ex studied physics before you ask).
Erm.... well it's a term generally used in fictiion Tiggs but it basically suggests the existence of a universe where the rules that govern this universe differ. Not to be confused with an alternative universe which implies a relationship with this universe otherwise there couldn't be an alternative.
Can I suggest you wait for Mibs or Jake if you have any more physics questions!
Can I suggest you wait for Mibs or Jake if you have any more physics questions!
They would never think that! You should see some of the stuff I ask in here at times.
Relativity I think comes from the idea of gravity but starts looking at how outside forces effect things too. I don't really understand it. Wiko might have more in it but generally I find this stuff hard to understand unless someone is explaining it to me.
I think I may be offending physcitians everywhere with my physics for dummies answers!
Relativity I think comes from the idea of gravity but starts looking at how outside forces effect things too. I don't really understand it. Wiko might have more in it but generally I find this stuff hard to understand unless someone is explaining it to me.
I think I may be offending physcitians everywhere with my physics for dummies answers!
Space time continuum essentially is a term referring to the geometry of the universe which objects like us, planets and gucci shoes 'exist' in. As an analogy the geometry of the earth is a sphere and we all exist on the surface of it.
Parallel Universe: Some physcists theorise the existence of parallel universes to describe what happens to tiny particles (quantum mechanics), usually in connection with an idea of our universe splitting into two parallel ones after certain events (this happens in Back to the Future II if you've seen it!)
Relativity - two flavours. General and Special. The latter says that the speed of light is fixed no matter how fast you are going, the consequences of which are stuff like time slows down the faster you go.
General Relativity is similar but includes gravity. It describes how the shortest line between two points is altered depending on what 'stuff' is about. So the shortest way between two points on flat piece of paper is a straight line, however on a sphere it's a 'world line' - that's why if you fly from new york to london you go over greenland. What general relativity tells us is that if you have heavy planets then these change the geometry of the space-time continuum (if you like!) from a flat piece of paper to something more complicated . So near a black hole space-time is so highly curved that you have to fall further into it.
Parallel Universe: Some physcists theorise the existence of parallel universes to describe what happens to tiny particles (quantum mechanics), usually in connection with an idea of our universe splitting into two parallel ones after certain events (this happens in Back to the Future II if you've seen it!)
Relativity - two flavours. General and Special. The latter says that the speed of light is fixed no matter how fast you are going, the consequences of which are stuff like time slows down the faster you go.
General Relativity is similar but includes gravity. It describes how the shortest line between two points is altered depending on what 'stuff' is about. So the shortest way between two points on flat piece of paper is a straight line, however on a sphere it's a 'world line' - that's why if you fly from new york to london you go over greenland. What general relativity tells us is that if you have heavy planets then these change the geometry of the space-time continuum (if you like!) from a flat piece of paper to something more complicated . So near a black hole space-time is so highly curved that you have to fall further into it.
Wowzers, where to start.
4GS: we classically think of us having 3 dimensions -- up and down, left and right, forwards and back. spacetime continuum states that we can view time as another dimension in our equations (general relativity stuff often). The fact that it's a continuum means that there are no small 'gaps' anywhere. You could move forwards by an inch, or a quarter of an inch, or a millionth of an inch, etc. Or, it can specify properties of the metric that is described on the manifold.
tiggerblue and China Doll: physicians are doctors!!! I think you mean physicist.
Parallel universe: the above describes the many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics. This is not the only idea of parallel universes.
4GS: we classically think of us having 3 dimensions -- up and down, left and right, forwards and back. spacetime continuum states that we can view time as another dimension in our equations (general relativity stuff often). The fact that it's a continuum means that there are no small 'gaps' anywhere. You could move forwards by an inch, or a quarter of an inch, or a millionth of an inch, etc. Or, it can specify properties of the metric that is described on the manifold.
tiggerblue and China Doll: physicians are doctors!!! I think you mean physicist.
Parallel universe: the above describes the many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics. This is not the only idea of parallel universes.
Yes fo3nix's is right about the paralell Universe thing.
It's complicated because there are at least 3 ideass at work here:
The first as F03nix mentions is related to an "interpretation" of Quantum mechanics whereby the Universe splits into 2 different outcomes when a choice is made.
The second is the ide of many Universes making up a "multiverse" each with different laws of physics - most entirely uninhabitable that explains why our universe is just right for us to survive in.
The third which isn't so much a Multi-universe thing but relates to the 8 or so additional dimentions that are used in String theory to explain how things are the way they are at an unimaginably small scale.
The real challenge with any of these is to devise an experiment to prove or disprove them.
Nobody's come up with one yet and it could be a long wait
Still if you're feeling bright and fancy meeting the King of Sweden, they're'd doubtlessly be a Nobel in it for you
It's complicated because there are at least 3 ideass at work here:
The first as F03nix mentions is related to an "interpretation" of Quantum mechanics whereby the Universe splits into 2 different outcomes when a choice is made.
The second is the ide of many Universes making up a "multiverse" each with different laws of physics - most entirely uninhabitable that explains why our universe is just right for us to survive in.
The third which isn't so much a Multi-universe thing but relates to the 8 or so additional dimentions that are used in String theory to explain how things are the way they are at an unimaginably small scale.
The real challenge with any of these is to devise an experiment to prove or disprove them.
Nobody's come up with one yet and it could be a long wait
Still if you're feeling bright and fancy meeting the King of Sweden, they're'd doubtlessly be a Nobel in it for you
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