Absolute space and motion

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Craig Franck - 15 Jan 2005 00:43 GMT

If the space-time foam is considered a matrix of events, couldn't
you tell your motion relative to those events? Something like the
slower it "bubbles," the faster your absolute motion?

Also, since space is being created between clusters of galaxies,
when two galaxies hit faster-than-light speeds, it seems to imply
that they are moving slower relative to the space they inhabit than
the galaxies are moving away from one another. (In fact, this is the
only reason why they can move faster than light relative to one
another.) If they are, it seems a logical question how much slower.
But if all motion is relative, it seems that question shouldn't be
allowed.

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Craig Franck
craig.franck@verizon.net
Cortland, NY

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Ranando King - 18 Jan 2005 22:54 GMT

> If the space-time foam is considered a matrix of events, couldn't
> you tell your motion relative to those events? Something like the
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> But if all motion is relative, it seems that question shouldn't be
> allowed.

It's allowed, you just forgot something. If 2 galaxies are heading in
opposite directions away from some fixed point between them at 5c/8, then
the relative speed of 1 with respect to the other is **NOT** 10c/8. You have
to account for the observer noticing a length contraction in the other
galaxy. The formula is as follows:

lv = l((1 - (v/c)^2)^(1/2))

If you apply this to the speed of each galaxy relative to the fixed point,
the sum of those 2 new values is the speed one galaxy sees the other galaxy
as having. I might have gotten this wrong, but rest assured that the sum of
2 opposing speeds is always less than c if those speeds are themselves less
than c.

Relativity is wierd like that.

R.

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Natural Science Forum / Physics / Particle Physics / January 2005

Absolute space and motion