4 ms·

My (limited) understanding is that only space is expanding. Iow there is more space but the space that matter takes up stays constant. Maybe I'm also confused

• simcop2387 7y ago
  That's basically my lay-person's understanding also. It's because the expansion isn't significant at small scales, so gravity and electromagnetism overpower it. This causes existing objects and clouds to effectively remain the same size [I have to assume that there's an effect, stealing potential energy at very small scales].
  • shpeak 7y ago
    Gravity and EM are holding our galaxy, our Laniakea, our Universe. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rENyyRwxpHo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rENyyRwxpHo .
• adrianN 7y ago
  As I understand it, the forces that keep matter together are strong enough to counteract any expansion.
  • Koshkin 7y ago
    Unlikely, because expansion of space is equivalent to the slowing of light, as other commenters have mentioned.
    • cygx 7y ago
      Such heuristic explanations are distractions: Locally, gravitational effects (including spatial expansion) manifest as pseudo-forces and hence can be counteracted.