Simply stated, absolute space just is immovable and unchanging regardless of when or where you are in the universe.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Chapter 2 The Universe in a Bucket
Chapter 2, The Universe in a Bucket describes a 300 yearlong debate. This bucket was special is that it represented a thought experiment described in 1689 by Sir Isaac Newton this experiment is as follows take a bucket filled with water hanging by a rope, twist the rope tightly and let it go. At the beginning the bucket will spin, but the water within it remains relatively stationary, but when the bucket picks up speed motion is communicated to the water by friction. Therefore the water begins to spin as well. Causing the service the water to form a concave shape higher at the rim and lower in the center. Prior to Albert Einstein's Theory of General Relativity theorists were well aware that velocity is relative. That is to say that motion only has meaning in relation to something else, so it would be correct to say that a "pitcher pitching a ball at 100 mph but the ball is approaching the batter at 100 mph and that the batter is approaching the ball at 100 mph." Newton finding that the relative motion of the bucket and the water could not account for the changing shape of the water, so he took experiment out to the next step which was a spinning bucket experiment carried out in empty space. Newton stated that there is a container called space that is a transparent empty arena in which all motion takes place . Newton called this area absolute space.
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This bucket concept is pretty interesting. The bucket at first is the only thing in motion but as it picks up speed the water swirls too. How does this explain the Universe though? I find it hard to wrap my head around this experiment, but then again the Universe is a topic not simply understood. Also, how is the batter approaching the ball at 100mph? I thought that in this situation, motion is provided to the ball by the pitcher so how would the batter also be moving at this speed?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, the key to understanding the whole concept is relativity. So, imagine that you are in the vacuum of space and you throw a hammer at 20mph. From your perspective the hammer is moving away from you at 20mph. From the perspective of the hammer you are moving away from it at 20mph.
DeleteThis chapter seemed fairly interesting. It is very much mind boggling the experiments certain thinkers create. Not only do they formulate these, but they then perform them in their head to amazing accuracy. Keep up the good work.
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