You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
It has been shown that the universe is expanding, and it believed that this expansion is accelerating. This will continue for ever as far as we can tell, the gaps between galaxies expanding, the stars within galaxies spreading out, and then stars, planets, everything, even atoms and particles tearing themselves apart over trillions and trillions of years, until eventuall we end up with the heat death of the universe.
.
Atoms are mostly made up of empty space. A tiny nucleus and a few electrons, but mostly empty. We, and indeed everything else, are made of atoms.
.
Is the space inside the atoms expanding at the same rate as the rest of space? Are we constantly getting bigger at the same rate space is? How would we be able to measure this as I would assume every point of reference we have or measuring device we might use would also be expanding? Or are the forces within atoms strong enough that they are held together at their current size until they eventually decay billions of year from now?
teenagers are. oh and people in front of me at gigs are too.
i'm not.
HTH
No , the space between atoms is not getting bigger, nor are galaxies being stretched. What you're talking about sounds a bit like the "big rip theory".
But in our universe, the expansion is such a comparatively small/weak effect that the forces which hold atoms together or gravity for (relatively) nearby objects easily overpowers it.
I on the other hand have gained 2kg this year. So, in summary, kinda?
Isn't it true that if you removed all of the "space" between the electrons, protons and neutrons in all the people in the world, the whole planets population would fit on a sugar cube?
(Came from a Marcus Chown book "Quantum Theory Cannot hurt you" i read years ago)
I thought things were getting smaller. But I was standing further away.
It's all just words to try to describe observed things. Dark energy is what is driving the universe to expand. Rutherford scattering found that the atom is mostly empty space but Strong nuclear force explains why nucleons do not just repel, electrons orbit and I would guess electrostatic attraction provides centripetal force.
My gravel tyres are getting bigger- definitely.
I’ve lost 7kg this year, so I’m going with ‘no’
In 1998, I had been out in Japan with work for 3 weeks. Hadn't spoken to someone with English as their first language in that time. On the train out to the airport, a white European guy approached me and asked if I knew where the smoking section was? He spoke English with a Russian-ish accent. I pointed him in the general direction. After 2 mins, I thought, bugger this I'm going for a blether with him. During ours chat he said he was a theoretical physistist on a lecture tour. I smelled a rat! So I asked... If the universe is infinite, how can it look the same no matter where you look at it from? Smart arse only went and answered it correctly! I sulked off in a huff! Nb - after nearly 30 years,can't remember any of the correct answer.,
I’ve lost 7kg this year, so I’m going with ‘no’
It's ok, I think I found your 7kg...you can have it back.
If the universe is expanding why are wagon wheels getting smaller?
oh and people in front of me at gigs are too.
Sorry about that. If I can get right to the front, I try and lean forward a bit on the railing.
Keep meaning to have this put on the back of a t-shirt, across the shoulders:
"6 foot 4 of (something that rhymes with "front")/standing at the front/upsetting everyone behind/since 1989 (Motorhead, Bristol Studio)"
If the universe is getting bigger from an imaginary outside viewpoint ie space is expanding then everything in it including us must be as well?
As a physicist I make a good nurse🤣
oh and people in front of me at gigs are too.
Sorry about that. If I can get right to the front, I try and lean forward a bit on the railing.
Yeah, me too - if I haven’t got the barrier to lean on, my back, legs and feet are killing me by the end, especially if it’s a two- hour gig!
I think the answer is that we are adding space uniformly every where at a very low rate.
The gravity between galaxies is very weak so that space added leads to an actual increase in distance.
With atoms we are adding incredibly small amounts of space and the forces are so strong they will simply keep the distance constant
Dutch people are definitely getting taller.
Leon's getting laaaaarrrger!
I blame ebikes.
I've found that, at least when reading, the distance to the end of my arm has got shorter - when I was 30.i could read the newspaper with the elbow well-bent. Now, the arm has to be fully straight and hand holding it to the extremity.
I've found that, at least when reading, the distance to the end of my arm has got shorter - when I was 30.i could read the newspaper with the elbow well-bent. Now, the arm has to be fully straight and hand holding it to the extremity.
That's a relativistic effect. You'll find that you're aging more slowly too - getting from 10 years old to 20 was a long, slow grind, but getting from 40 to 50 happened in the blink of an eye.