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Is it true that space is mostly an empty void?

My question is simple. Is space truly a void?

  • My hobby is writing but my job is in avionics. I have recently started a novel on space. When it comes to subjects where readers cannot relate to the subject of the book, meaning they have not been in the situation before, the author is able to create said subject in his own thoughts. Even with all the research I have done on space it is hard to be certain on it all considerring I haven't seen it, but I am somewhat smart and my mind functions differently than most people. So here is an paragraph from my book. Prove me wrong please. " Pressure is relevant to the pressure in earth's atmosphere. Meaning that what we feel here is what we describe as pressure. So is space truly a void or have our minds been twisted so much by the idea that the universe revolves around us that we only see what we are surrounded by. Yes the pressure in space is negative but is there truly nothing there? And if there is would it not create resistance on, though very little, on anythig moving through it?"

  • Answer:

    The "vacuum of space" refers to the relative lack of material in space. The Earth's atmosphere doesn't really stop at a certain place and then "space" begins. The air gets thinner as you go up from the surface and the higher the altitude, the thinner it is. It gets thinner still if you leave our solar system but it is always there. In reality, no volume of space can ever be perfectly empty. A perfect vacuum with a gaseous pressure of absolute zero is a philosophical concept that does not exist in nature. The very thin amount of material in space is the reason that small orbiting objects such as our artificial satellites are always on a decaying orbit; friction constantly reduces their speed. The orbits of extremely massive objects such as our Moon and the Earth would not be affected measurably from the friction within the next several billions of years. .

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No, the average density of matter in space is about one hydrogen atom per cubic meter. This isn't much, but it isn't nothing.

Erica s

Space is not a complete void. There are many particles in space that do not have mass, such as photons that travel through space. There are electromagnetic and gravitational forces all throughout space, influencing everything else in space, creating a shifting web of matter and energy. Even the most empty parts of the universe are affected by subtle forces of gravity, dark energy, magnetic forces, and more. Space essentially bends. Although it is difficult for me to explain how something we cannot feel (space in this case), can be bent, I will say that this is true and you may research this in your free time if you are interested.

Hank

It's not an answer but hope it helps. This is my poem. Uniontera number 13 (about Space) Existence is the time expressed by light. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWhV5Y2jD8g

uniontera6

Don't forget, dark matter.

B-MAN

Space within the universe can never be void. The reason: space and the sphere of the universe is one and the same thing. A flattened sphere would be like a 2 dimensional space (and still it is not void as the sphere is still there). The waves and the loops of the sphere is what makes our 3 dimensional space and us. A moving object is similar to a loop unwinding itself. And the section of the loop being unwind is what is seen as entropy, energy used and space time dilation. So yes, pressure or resistance (or whatever you might want to call it) will always be with the wave and the loop, no matter how small their existence are. It is relevant on earth and on every spot in the universe. Void space in the universe is then not empty. If there is such emptiness it would be pretty much like without the universe itself or perhaps it is like the out side of the universe (the sides of the universe: the void that science cannot deal with).

Sagim

Well, lets address a few things in quick order. First off, pressure in space is not negative, its zero (or so close to zero that it is hard to measure the difference). Negative pressure is what gets measured by instruments calibrated to some standard atmospheric pressure. Its a little bit like length or mass. You can't actually have a negative length (Just a distance that is in a direction opposite to what you were focused on) You can't really have a negative mass. *You* may lose weight, but there is no actual 'negative mass' (There are interesting bouyancy issues that can occur, particularly in air or water environments) Now, into the specifics. No, space isn't absolutely empty. In almost any given sizeable volume of space, there are a few hydrogen and possibly a couple helium atoms. And yes, if you had a fractional-light-speed craft, it would impact on these atoms over time, and you would have some, very little but some, resistance.

Mike

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