On Fri, Mar 7, 2014 at 7:21 AM, Edgar L. Owen <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > An empty space within which events occur does not exist. > The idea that empty space doesn't exist is entirely consistent with Quantum Mechanics, it says that so called empty space is really a sea of virtual particles that flash in and out of existence too fast for us to notice. And the reason scientists talking about virtual particles is not the same as theologians talking about angels dancing on pinheads is that although they can not be detected directly unlike the angels they do have a measurable effect on things that we can measure. For example the Casimir effect: If you place two large flat mirrors very close together then, unlike the vacuum on the outside of the mirrors, there can not be virtual photons of every wavelength in the vacuum between the mirrors because some will interfere destructively. There are more virtual particles in the vacuum outside the mirrors pushing them together than there are between them pushing them apart. This force has actually been measured in the lab and it's strength is exactly what Quantum Mechanics says it should be. Interestingly if you define a vacuum far from any object as containing zero energy and if it is able to push the mirrors together because the space between the mirrors has less stuff in it (although it's still not empty) , then that space between mirrors must have a negative energy. John K Clark -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
