Warping Space in a Craft: Gravity or Conventional Energy?

In summary, according to quantum mechanics, the gravity created by a large mass can warp space. This information was found in a book by Stephen Hawking. It should also be mentioned that mass and gravity are equivalent, and that anything less than the energy produced by a fusion reactor could not warp space.
  • #1
Bunting
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it is saidf that if you have a mass large enough, the gravity created by that mass is enough to warp space. Now people are saying that due to quantum mechanics the warping of space is viable, within a spacecraft for example. Does this require the spaceship to have some sorty of gravity generator ? producing gravitons and the such, or does it mean that conventional energy as we have it(electrical, chemical etc) can also be used to warp space ?

thanks!
 
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  • #2
the warping of spacetime is quite general. it doesn t require you to have a generator, or even be a quantum system. all you have to do is have energy, and then, by einstein, you will gravitate.
 
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  • #3
It should also be mentioned that "a mass large enough" and "the gravity created by that mass would be enough" are conditions satisfied by any mass with any gravity (which according to GR is any mass), since that's what gravity is; the warping of spacetime (again, according to GR).
 
  • #4
ohh i see, like the sun and planets on a net model. The heavier the object the more the net (or spacetime) bends (or warps!)! :)

Thanks a lot :)
 
  • #5
I believe there is another way to warp spacetime using the principles of the casimir effect using negative energy densities. I found this in S.W.Hawking's "Brief History of Time 12th anniv. Edition" pg 164-165
 
  • #6
The warping of spacetime can have interesting applications. For example, consider the Krasnikov tube, a proposed method to achieve faster than light travel
 
  • #7
More warp drive stuff: the Alcubierre drive is probably the most famous of all the warp drives, but it requires high quantities of negative energy, so it's practically an impossible project. But, in 1999, Van den Broeck presented another warp drive, the Van den Broeck warp drive, that improves the Alcubierre drive because it requires less negative energy
Here's the paper where Van den Broeck proposed his warp drive
http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/gr-qc/9905084
 
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  • #8
Is it a mistake to suggest that mass and energy are equivalent, (E=MC sq). Anything less than the energy produced by a fusion reactor, could not warp space.Perhaps with, "time", maybe. A graviton? Warp drive?Too soon to consider, nomenclature like that. Compress space in advance of progress,riding the "warp",like surfing on a wave board. Space itself would cause the "drive" as it is, space that "pushes" you as toward a planet as if you were in an orbit.
 
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1. How do you warp space in a craft?

Warping space in a craft involves creating a powerful gravitational field around the craft, which then bends the fabric of space-time. This allows the craft to essentially "ride" the curved space, moving faster than the speed of light without actually breaking the speed of light barrier.

2. What is the difference between using gravity and conventional energy to warp space?

Conventional energy involves using fuel or other energy sources to power the craft, while gravity-based propulsion relies on manipulating the gravitational forces around the craft. Both methods can be used to warp space, but gravity-based propulsion is currently just theoretical and has not been successfully demonstrated.

3. Is it possible to travel through time by warping space in a craft?

Although the theory of relativity suggests that time dilation could occur at high speeds, time travel through warping space in a craft is currently not possible. The energy and technology required to create a strong enough gravitational field to warp space-time would be immense and has not yet been achieved.

4. Can warping space in a craft be used for interstellar travel?

Warping space in a craft has been proposed as a potential method for interstellar travel, as it would allow for faster-than-light travel without violating the laws of physics. However, this technology is still in the theoretical stages and has not been successfully tested or implemented.

5. What are the potential implications of warping space in a craft?

If successful, warping space in a craft could revolutionize space travel and allow for efficient and faster transportation across vast distances. It could also open up the possibility of exploring new frontiers and potentially discovering new forms of life in the universe.

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