2006-11-26 22:02:45 · 9 answers · asked by jitty 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
It was Einstein!. General relativity predicted a model of the universe that could either collapse due to gravity or expand indefinitely. Einstein wanted a static universe,so he introduced a term (the cosmological constant) corresponding to 'negative' gravity or the energy density of the vacuum which causes empty space to accelerate all by itself! If you shove it on the right side of the equation that is..
Then along came Hubble and burst his bubble..
Found that the universe was expanding (Big Bang), so obviously the cosmological constant was not required!
Latest measurements down at the edge indicate accelerating expansion though, so we may have to bring back the CC after all
2006-11-27 13:31:07 · answer #1 · answered by troothskr 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, basically everything in science is just 'to make the theory right.' The stuff that is actually right is retained, and the stuff that turns out to be wrong is thrown into the reject bin. That's why we are constantly doing experiments, to determine what is right, and what just seems to make sense.
Gravity may have been invented a couple of hundred years ago, but as no-one has thought up a better idea, we just go along with whatever the real world reflects.
2006-11-26 22:22:12 · answer #2 · answered by tgypoi 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gravity is "fixed", in that the acceleration of an object per second per second remains constant. What this means is that an object dropped will continue to go faster at a predictable and steady rate until it reaches terminal velocity--the point at which the "air" or other medium thorugh whch it is traveling pushing back on the object equals the force pushing it toward the ground--at this point acceleration goes to zero, and the speed remains relatively constant.
2006-11-26 22:16:09 · answer #3 · answered by Ridder 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think what you're getting at is that Newton's laws were shown to be slightly inaccurate when looking at larger scale - this is wehere Einstein came in with his theories of Special Relativity and General Relativity - in essance modifications of Newtonian physics only really relevant and muchlarger scales
2006-11-26 22:30:02 · answer #4 · answered by djessellis 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
gravity is a not a constant , we can blindly say that it's not .The gavity on the Earth differs near the poles & near the equator.Its only the average value which is being calculated by Neuton
2006-11-26 22:12:26 · answer #5 · answered by Avatar 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gravity is a heavy problem to understand but the answer will drop on us one day.
2006-11-26 22:09:06 · answer #6 · answered by Robert W 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah you're right. Gravity doesn't exist. Its just someones figment of their imagination.
(I'm keeping you busy while someone phones the loony bin for an ambulance with a straightjacket)
Happy times
2006-11-26 22:06:41 · answer #7 · answered by Basement Bob 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
OK. theories are not "right." its why they are theories, not facts! its just that that explantion is the best one that currently exists. if you can explain it better than newton then your theory will be accepted, you will win nobel prize and get a million dollars for doing it.
2006-11-26 22:06:07 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
ok the true story is out now..Now we know! What a fix eh?
2006-11-26 22:37:37 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋