..would it a) just keep going
b) hit the edge of the universe or
c) hit the earth again?
I had this weird idea, maybe the universe is like the asteriods game. That it's finite and infinite at the same time. There's nothing beyond the universe because there's nothing beyond existance- so maybe existance loops round because of laws we can't understand yet. But could it be possible at all?..
2006-10-15 01:06:29 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Well, I have a wierd theory. First of all is the rocket self powered? Other wise it might stop due to the continuous friction with small hydrogen particles in space. Now if the rocket has infinite fuel the question is if it can hit the edge of universe. We have no idea how the universe is. 500 Years ago a man would ask "What would happen if I go to the edge of the world? Should I fall down?". Now considering the fact that the universe can be more than 3 dimensional, what if the universe is a four dimensional (or even more) sphere that the rocket cannot escape. This theory IS plausible. In that case the rocket will just traverse the universe in circular ways.
2006-10-15 01:31:18 · answer #1 · answered by The Potter Boy 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Assuming no outside forces acted on it, it would keep going forever. Eistein's theory of relativity tells us that space cannot exist with mass, or the effects of mass (i.e. gravity). So the boundary of the universe is the point effect of gravity.
It's impossible to have no gravitation effect, the effect decreases indefinately, approaches zero, but never actually reaches zero. Even a single subatomic particle, at the greatest distance possible, has some gravitational pull.
But for arguments sake, let's say you can get far enough away from any object to reach the edge of the universe. You rocket has mass, so there for you would be creating a space bubble around yourself. So the edge of the universe would constanty be ahead of you no matter how fast, or how far you travel.
Could you get far enough away from the presumed edge of the universe to be in your own separate gravity bubble (i.e. Picture cells dividing, all of the objects in the universe in one bubble, and your rocket in another. Gradyally pull them apart until they no longer feel any gravity between them, and you have two separate cells).
If this were possible, would you have created a new universe? If so, what would you call the space that contains these two universes (the one you came from, and the one you created)?
2006-10-15 01:57:35 · answer #2 · answered by VTNomad 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Interesting question. I'm no scientist but if one believes that the universe is expanding, wouldn't your rocket keep going forever unless it was drawn to a star or planet by gravitational pull. I don't think it would hit the "edge" since the edge has a head start and your rocket can't exceed the rate at which the universe is expanding. And I never graduated from high school.
2006-10-15 01:23:32 · answer #3 · answered by 3810trebor@sbcglobal.net 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It's a real shame that humans don't live very long! This could be a very interesting thing to do if humans lived long enough to see the results! Nobody really knows for sure what's at the edge of the universe. It could be some kind of boundary to another universe or it could somehow go back on itself like you say and return to earth!
The Rocket may be effected by some kind of larger gravity within the universe causing it to cycle forever like an asteroid! Who knows?!
2006-10-15 01:11:58 · answer #4 · answered by Feckpot 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There are loads of theories on this. The one I particularly like is that the universe is like a balloon being blown up. In your case the rocket would go around the inside of the balloon forever spiralling out as the universe expands into infinity. Some also believe that this expansion will slow, stop and then come back into a "big crunch" ready to start all over again.
Good question though. Keeps me going for hours.
2006-10-15 01:10:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Since the universe is constantly expanding, the rocket would just keep going on and on forever (unless it got pulled in to a star, planet, black-hole, comet, etc.) The chances of it hitting the Earth are so remote it is almost impossible.
2006-10-15 01:12:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It has the potential to go forever, but things could get in its way, like being struck by an asteroid.
As to bending the sapce-tine continuum, that may be too big a concept for some folks to grasp
2006-10-15 02:26:21 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Trivia, yet true. IF it didn't hit anything, forever is the likely hood according to scientists. Material things are finite. Space itself is a vacuum.
2006-10-15 01:12:05 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
the universe is expanding at the speed of light, and since nothing can move faster than the speed of light, the rocket will never catch up and will continue travelling into space for ever and ever
2006-10-15 01:50:14 · answer #9 · answered by Firstd1mension 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
a similar position the position the celebrities and our sunlight exhaust into: countless area. can we are saying that the countless vacuum of area is being contaminated? definite, a limiteless wee bit, yet who's complaining? No, no longer Ralph Nader.
2016-12-04 20:36:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋