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gulfcoastfella
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Why can't distortions in spacetime be used to describe the fundamental forces other than gravity, i.e. the electromagnetic force, the strong nuclear force, and the weak force?
Objects with different charge follow different trajectories. You cannot explain that with straight trajectories in curved space time.gulfcoastfella said:Why can't distortions in spacetime be used to describe the fundamental forces other than gravity, i.e. the electromagnetic force, the strong nuclear force, and the weak force?
It's not so much that they "can't" as that nobody has ever invented a theory in which they do. There is no reason in principle why there could not be a theory in which all forces are explained as disturbances in some multi-dimensional manifold. For the disturbances to explain additional forces, I expect the manifold would need more than four dimensions.gulfcoastfella said:Why can't distortions in spacetime be used to describe the fundamental forces other than gravity, i.e. the electromagnetic force, the strong nuclear force, and the weak force?
Spacetime is a concept in physics that combines the three dimensions of space with the dimension of time into a single four-dimensional continuum. This concept was first proposed by Albert Einstein in his theory of general relativity.
In physics, all forces are thought to be caused by the curvature of spacetime. Non-gravitational forces, such as electromagnetic and nuclear forces, are explained by the interaction of particles with the curvature of spacetime. This interaction results in the exchange of particles, which creates the force between objects.
An example of how spacetime explains a non-gravitational force is the electromagnetic force between two charged particles. The particles exchange photons, which are particles that travel through spacetime, causing a force between them. This force is explained by the curvature of spacetime caused by the presence of the charged particles.
The traditional understanding of space and time is that they are separate and independent dimensions. However, the concept of spacetime combines them into a single entity, where the curvature of spacetime is affected by the presence of mass and energy. This allows for a more unified understanding of the physical world.
Yes, the concept of spacetime is widely accepted in the scientific community and is a fundamental aspect of modern physics. It has been extensively tested and confirmed through numerous experiments and observations, and is an essential part of our understanding of the universe.