27 Dec 15
Originally posted by KazetNagorraI understand that they are observing these things, but that does not answer the question as to how you bend empty space.
The "bending" of space is an analogy used to visualize what the formulae tell us. This picture make some sense because we can, for instance, see the "bending" of light through gravitational lensing.
If you want to understand gravity, study general relativity.
27 Dec 15
Originally posted by humyWhat the hell?
[b]I don't think there is much hope of him (and most theists) understanding general relatively, which is harder than special relativity because general relativity deals with [i]
Yea, and probably most blacks and spics would probably have a hard time understanding it as well.
27 Dec 15
Originally posted by joe shmoIronically, he is unable to answer the question.
If we are going to be insulting people here with honest inquiries...
1) I doubt many here are shocked that you only barely half understand general relativity concepts and none of the equations...so I don't know why you brought it up.
2) You can't have a respectable partial understanding of special relativity with only a reasonable understanding of basic Newtonian physics.
27 Dec 15
Originally posted by KazetNagorraAgain, how do you bend a vacuum?
Well, I have a PhD in physics and at best a fleeting understanding of general relativity. My point is mainly that one should not expect the compact - but beyond the grasp of laymen - mathematical formulation to be fully explained with a few lines of text suited for the layman. If the analogy of the "bending of space-time" is not good enough for whodey, tough luck.
27 Dec 15
Originally posted by DeepThoughtEinstein needs to come up with a better explanation to laymen like myself.
]Spacetime tells matter how to move, matter tells spacetime how to curve.[/quote]
How can you tell something that is not there or does not exist to do anything?
27 Dec 15
14 edits
Originally posted by whodeyA better question would be "how is spacetime curved" because isn't as if space and time are curved independently from each other!
Stop right there, how do you curve space and time?
To answer that, one of us would have to explain general relativity to you so that you would understand it, which would require a huge post and you and I would have absolutely no hope whatsoever of really understanding it properly. I know this because I have seen how hard general relativity is compared to special relativity at university. For starters, its mathematics and equations is something like ~10 times more complex because it deals with accelerating frames of reference which makes it massively more complicated than special relativity which deals with non-accelerating frames of reference, which is so much simpler (not simple, just simpler ).
Trust me, you wouldn't want to see the correct answer. But here is a start: you must understand what "spacetime" means before you can have any hope of understanding how it is curved:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacetime
27 Dec 15
11 edits
Originally posted by whodey-which would have been impossible (not sure why you speak in present tense rather than past tense).
Einstein needs to come up with a better explanation to laymen like myself.
The reason why he didn't is because there is no such possible better explanation for laymen like you and me because what he discovered is just too difficult for most laymen to understand properly. The best most of us can hope to achieve is mere partial understanding of the set of concepts/equations that make it up.
We just have to accept there are people much smarter than us who understand things we cannot ever understand, no matter how hard they try to explain it simply to us. They are forced to resort to using simplistic analogies, which do more to confuse or, even much worse in many cases, give many of us the illusion of understanding when we actually understand nothing.
The irony is the really smart thing for us to do is admit to ourselves when we are not smart, which is often.
27 Dec 15
1 edit
Originally posted by whodeyYou mean explain well enough to be understood by anyone.
Finally. I have everyone speechless and saying "it's just to complicated to splain".
Hilarious.
You do realize the best minds on the planet had a LOT of trouble understanding relativity a hundred years ago?
You just have to think of space as actually being something, although we cannot feel it, just like gravity, we can't see it but we can explain it.
You need to get over the idea that space and the absence of matter is not nothing.
It is like a three dimensional weave of a very very fine cloth. Threads connecting in all directions and matter pulls the threads together so matter nearby will fall into the valley created by the threads being squished together. You could think of matter as a vacuum cleaner, creating a suction that pulls space together.
The main thing here is you think you are totally superior for not understanding the effects of mass on space.
One comes to the conclusion you really did not want to know the answer, only to have a forum where you could ridicule people.
27 Dec 15
10 edits
Originally posted by whodey...to you and I".
Finally. I have everyone speechless and saying "it's just to complicated to explain... (spelling correct)
Why can't you comprehend there are some things beyond your and my understanding because only people a lot smarter than you and I can understand them?
Or are you just to arrogant to ever admit that fact, even privately to yourself?
Do you really think you can understand relativity from just a post here? If it is that easy, why did it take so long for humanity to work it out and then required a real genius much much smarter than us to finally work it out? Putting it rather simplistically, its because relativity is difficult.
I only partly understand it (only certain basic but important principles, such as 'the principle of relativity' and how relativity relates to what is called 'frames of reference' and where the two types of relativity actually come from etc ) and I would be glad to explain to you/anyone here those parts I do understand to those who don't know but have genuine curiosity.
27 Dec 15
6 edits
Originally posted by Shallow BlueAre most theists here unable to understand relativity while most scientists here, who are mostly none theist, may credibly either do or could if they tried for long and hard enough?
Yeah... and you're still a bigoted, prejudiced imbecile, right up there with whodey and hindsey.