universe question lol

Smallz3141
Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:10:36 +0000

….sigh. Let’s go over this again. First, based on your previous posts I know you’re not yet in college, you say you’re the class of 2013, so I assume that makes you a senior in high school. With all due respect, your background in math and physics is quite limited, even if you’re taking AP Calc BC, AP Physics BC, etc etc. Maybe this is a good time to bring up courses I’ve taken in my collegiate career: First physics courses: Newtonian Physics, Thermodynamics, Electromagnetism/Optics, Quantum Mechanics 1, Quantum mechanics 2 (there are no additional QM courses), Astrophysics 1, Astrophysics 2: Cosmology, Astrophysics 3: Planetary astro, with at least 3 more in the semesters to come. Math: Calc 1, Calc 2, Calc 3, Calc 4, Cosmological Statistics, again with several more later. The point I’m trying to make is that when you get to college, that is when you’ll learn about some of the things I’m talking about, if you’ll be a physics major.

You said that the infinite/finite universe is “unproven”, first you have a misunderstanding of the word “proof”. In science, we don’t “prove” anything, we never call things “Laws” or “absolutes”, mainly because that disrupts scientific integrity. Science is a constantly evolving and ever-changing thing and labeling something a “law” would imply that we know everything about it, which we can never be sure of. In the past people threw around the word “law” more freely, that’s why you hear the “Law of Gravity” and such, but nowadays scientists only refer to things as theory: the theory of gravity, the theory of Quantum mechanics, even though our calculations and observations have backed up the vast majority of the ideas presented.

I am not going to lay out the equations showing you why we believe the universe is infinite not just because I now know you don’t have the mathematical/physics background to be able to understand it, but because it is long, tedious, and not easy to do in text-based forums.



Infinite = Infinite



That is 100% wrong. You equating all infinities equal to each other is absolutely incorrect. I don’t know if you have always assumed this, if a math teacher told you this, or whatever, but it is not correct. You must not have read my wardrobe analogy, I suggest reading over that. My analogy with the hotels is quite valid, but you need to understand the ‘qualities’ of infinity.



Alot of things aren’t allowed in Quantum Physics that are allowed in Theoretical Physics generally



Now hang on a minute, that’s not valid. Maybe you don’t understand what theoretical physics is, but it’s the mathematics of our universe that we use to denote laws (as opposed to observations). If something isn’t allowed in Quantum Physics , then it can’t, by definition, be allowed in theoretical physics, especially since the majority of quantum physics is based off mathematical theory!

You bring up string theory’s possible 12 dimensions, but that is definitely not the same as some outer-dimension the universe is expanding “into”. Those 12 dimensions are within spacetime: If you picture a metal cable, from far away it appears to just have the single, length-wise dimension, but up close you notice it has grooves and curves all around it, hence additional dimensions. It’s not like if you look at the cable close up you’re going to find additional dimensions BEYOND the cable. String theory talks about the dimensions WITHIN the fabric of spacetime, not something beyond it.

Now, I don’t mean to come in and just throw all of your ideas out, it’s great that you’re thinking about the universe, but there are many things you haven’t learned yet and you will if you pursue physics as a major in college.