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> We now know that space is discretized We do not. That is merely the case in some controversial quantum gravity theories. However, I can give another example
by jules 16y ago
> We now know that space is discretized
We do not. That is merely the case in some controversial quantum gravity theories.
However, I can give another example. In electrodynamics, you often treat a bulk charge as a continuous charge density (for example a charged sphere) rather than a large discrete set of point charges. This is because then you can apply calculus, which makes computations feasible.
- vilhelm_s 16y agoIt is said that Poincaré, when finally convinced that the evidence of atoms was overwhelming, exclaimed something like "but then it's all false!", meaning that all the continuum-based theories like fluid dynamics and electrodynamics, which had previously seemed like exact descriptions of the underlying reality, had suddenly shown themselves to be mere approximations...