I reminds me of a brain teaser from Epstein's "Thinking Physics":DaleSpam said:I disagree, or at least I am not sure enough to definitely claim that it is logically impossible. Classical mechanics seems to be logically self consistent, so my initial guess is that such a universe would be logically possible.
I take "continuous" to mean "no space anywhere inside". I guess maybe a neutron star does that, or at least close?DaleSpam said:I disagree, or at least I am not sure enough to definitely claim that it is logically impossible. Classical mechanics seems to be logically self consistent, so my initial guess is that such a universe would be logically possible.
Clearly we do not live in such a universe, but in many cases it can be treated as such.
I think a continuous world would be one where the continuum approximation holds exactly, so there would be no atoms or fundamental particles of any kind, but only continuous blobs of matter that could be infinitely divided.phinds said:I take "continuous" to mean "no space anywhere inside". I guess maybe a neutron star does that, or at least close?
That's actually what I thought of as well, but I don't get how it's possible. If there are no particles, how does stuff come into being?DaleSpam said:I think a continuous world would be one where the continuum approximation holds exactly, so there would be no atoms or fundamental particles of any kind, but only continuous blobs of matter that could be infinitely divided.
Classical Mechanics isn't concerned with that. It just predicts what will happen given some initial state. And it often makes the continuum approximation, as Dale said.phinds said:If there are no particles, how does stuff come into being?
OK, thanks for that.A.T. said:Classical Mechanics isn't concerned with that. It just predicts what will happen given some initial state. And it often makes the continuum approximation, as Dale said.
black hole 123 said:This is probably stupid question but is it logically possible for a universe to exist where matter is continuous and not atomic? How would such matter be stopped from collapsing to a point?
A world made of continuous matter refers to a theoretical concept in physics where matter is infinitely divisible and does not have any gaps or discontinuities. This means that matter can be divided into smaller and smaller pieces without reaching a point where it can no longer be divided.
In traditional models, matter is made up of discrete particles, such as atoms, which have a defined size and shape. However, in a world made of continuous matter, there are no discrete particles, and matter is considered to be a continuous, homogeneous substance.
The concept of a continuous world is supported by various mathematical and theoretical models, such as the field theory and the concept of infinity. Additionally, experiments in quantum mechanics have shown that matter can exhibit wave-like behavior, which is indicative of a continuous nature.
The concept of a continuous world is important in various areas of physics, including quantum mechanics and cosmology. It allows for a better understanding of the behavior of matter at a small scale and helps to explain the structure of the universe on a large scale.
No, the concept of a continuous world is purely theoretical and has no direct implications on our daily lives. However, it helps scientists to better understand the fundamental nature of matter and the laws of physics that govern our universe.