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japplepie
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Is it true that the speed of light is a conversion factor between time and space?
and that D = C*T?
and if it is, how does that make any sense?
and that D = C*T?
and if it is, how does that make any sense?
japplepie said:and that D = C*T?
and if it is, how does that make any sense?
japplepie said:Does that mean that space and time are equivalent? And if they are, to what extent?
Does space exhibit all the properties of time (and vice versa)?
Well, there is the sign of the metric and also the number of dimensions. Since there is only one time dimension you cannot have closed timelike curves in flat spacetime, while you can have closed spacelike curves since there are three dimensions of space.nikkkom said:Spatial coordinates enter metric with positive sign, temporal one has a negative sign. For a flat space-time of special relativity:
ds^2 = dx^2 + dy^2 + dz^2 - dt^2
That seems to be the only, but crucial, difference.
DaleSpam said:Well, there is the sign of the metric and also the number of dimensions. Since there is only one time dimension you cannot have closed timelike curves in flat spacetime, while you can have closed spacelike curves since there are three dimensions of space.
No, 1+1D spacetime does not work the same as 3+1D spacetime. In 1+1D flat spacetime you cannot have closed spacelike curves like you can in 3+1D spacetime. Draw any closed curve in a standard spacetime diagram and you will see timelike and spacelike portions.nikkkom said:It has nothing to do with the number of spatial dimensions. (For one, 2D space-time with just one spatial dimension works similarly to 4D case even though there is only one spatial dimension).
If you had two or more dimensions of time then you could construct a closed loop where the absolute value of the four velocity is always 1.nikkkom said:In flat Minkovski space you can not go back and thus enter a closed loop not because time coordinate somehow does not allow it, but because absolute value of four-velocity of any object is 1
japplepie said:Does that mean that space and time are equivalent? And if they are, to what extent?
Does space exhibit all the properties of time (and vice versa)?
I've read somewhere that something that violates parity would also be time irreversible since space and time are equivalent.
Space-time is a concept that combines space and time into a single continuum. It is a fundamental concept in physics and is often described as the fabric of the universe in which all matter and energy exist.
This is a complex question and there is no definitive answer. According to Einstein's theory of relativity, space-time is not truly equal as it can be warped by the presence of massive objects. However, in the absence of any significant gravitational influence, space-time can be considered equal.
Space-time is what determines the path of an object's movement through the universe. Objects with mass cause a curvature in space-time, which affects the trajectory of other objects in their vicinity. This is known as gravity.
According to our current understanding of physics, it is not possible to manipulate space-time directly. However, the effects of space-time can be manipulated through the use of gravity, such as in the case of black holes.
While the concept of space-time may seem abstract and distant, it actually has a significant impact on our daily lives. GPS technology, for example, relies on precise measurements of space-time to accurately determine locations on Earth. Additionally, our understanding of space-time has led to numerous technological advancements and continues to shape our understanding of the universe.