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> 2. What does it even mean to create more space? The universe is expanding. Ok, I can accept that. But what does it mean? Consider several droplets of water o
by DenisM 7y ago
> 2. What does it even mean to create more space? The universe is expanding. Ok, I can accept that. But what does it mean?
Consider several droplets of water on the surface of a latex-based birthday balloon. The balloon is inflated, and droplets spread further apart, yet each droplet retains its shape and size. If you measure the distance in droplets it appears that you have created space as more new droplets could now fit in between those placed earlier.
We only have two comprehension tools to help in grasping the universe - math and intuition. The above is intuition, and you know better than me where to find math. There isn't more "meaning" to it than that, just the tools.
- XorNot 7y agoAnother way to think about it is just that if you had two solid particles, and measured the distance between them, you'd find it had increased over time. Space everywhere is expanding, it's just all the other forces over short distances ensure that everything pulls itself back together. The Big Rip - if dark energy is increasing in strength - is what happens when at some point the rate of expansion exceeds the forces at various scales that are able to hold things together, till even the strong nuclear force can't sustain it.