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“Nothing” doesn’t exist. Instead, there is “quantum foam” (bigthink.com)

submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago (2 children)

So I wonder, even if it's only appearing very briefly it's still going to exert some small gravitational effect. And who is to say the density of quantum foam is perfectly evenly distributed through the universe, within, through and between galaxies? Could this be an alternative explanation to dark matter?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago (2 children)

So I wonder, even if it’s only appearing very briefly it’s still going to exert some small gravitational effect.

I don't think so. Remember: This is energy being converted to mass, not mass coming out of nowhere.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Ah right. So, an alternative to dark energy and dark mass?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

No no that's a completely different phenomenon. This is the phenomenon involved in Hawking's radiation and similar.

[–] bitfucker 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Correct me if I am wrong, but as I understand it mass and energy is equivalent no? And it also still baffles us as to why rest mass and resultant mass from energy should be equivalent at all?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Correct me if I am wrong, but as I understand it mass and energy is equivalent no?

Yes.

And it also still baffles us as to why rest mass and resultant mass from energy should be equivalent at all?

I don't know about this one. I'm not an expert so don't quote he on it, but I don't remember hearing this before.

[–] bitfucker 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Then why wouldn't it exert gravitational force?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

It does, but that's the thing: It does either way. There should be no change due to the conversion of energy to mass.

[–] bitfucker 1 points 6 months ago

Ahh, I see what you mean. Thanks for explaining it

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Would be nice if we could measure quantum-foam activity depending on gravity well intensity. Let's say somewhere around Venus and Pluto to compare (sun's well).