If 'Space' is 'Nothing', what exactly it is?

Answer 1

Space is not nothing. Space is something, even if ther isn't a single particle in it. Space can be void.
Space was created with the Big Bang, together with energy-matter and time. Space is bent by matter according to Einsteins theory. It also seems to have a kind of energy. So space is not treated as "nothing" in modern phyisics.
Before the Big Bang, this space didn't exist. It's different to say "nothing" and say "space" even if its completely empty.

Answer 2

Good question...the answers given so far are not really accurate, and show a lack of understanding of the universe that is currently held by accomplished physicists today. On a macro-scale, saying space is nothing is relatively accurate, but you really need to go down to the quantum level to understand more. I don’t think it’s possible to answer your question in a paragraph or 2, but I’ll add a few points.

1st, there are “quantum fluctuations” everywhere. One of the key aspects of quantum physics (or mechanics) is the particle/wave duality of everything. Light acts as both a wave and a particle. The same can be said of an electron or a quark…or really anything. Because of this, a particle can’t ever really be said to be anywhere in particular and instead has a probability associated with it. Sounds weird I know…Once the particle is observed, the probability wave function collapses and you can get your position. In addition to this, the Uncertainty Principle says you can never know precisely the momentum and position of a particle. The more accurately you know the position, the less you know the momentum and vice versa.

The uncertainty principle also applies to force particles as well. Sounds very confusing, and it can be difficult to really wrap your mind around, but basically, since there are all of these probability waves, etc., one can’t really say space is complete emptiness. In fact, sometimes particles literally pop into existence out of apparent nothingness only to annihilate each other again. For example, a quark and an anti quark might pop into existence, travel a bit, then annihilate each other into pure energy again. If this happens near a black hole, the anti particle may get “sucked in” and therefore can’t annihilate with it’s regular particle pair, which happened to escape. This radiation can actually be detected and gives the appearance that the black hole is emitting radiation—but I digress.

Anyway, I would recommend 2 books that will help you understand the universe a bit better. They are both written in as simple terms as possible and don’t get into the math behind the physics too much. A Brief History of Time by Steven Hawking and The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene. Brian Greene had a good follow up book this one too, so if you like these first 2 recommendations, I encourage you find more books by both authors. I hope this helps you out!

Answer 3

The word describing the" nothing "of the Universe refers to what is in between galaxies and stars and planets making up the structure of the Universe.
The chinese ancient science called it The " CHI" and postulated that without the CHI no Universe could exist.

The ancient Greeks ,particularly Democritus described that there must exist in the Universe a substance that is granular but cannot be divided by natural means.Which they called the " AETHER "

Later in modern times (as they could not Undersand the concept of the AETHER)It became known as SPACE.
Space was then considered a VACCUUM ,because it did not contain an atmosphere(air).

The Energy in the Vaccuum was considered Vacuum energy having a particular density. This Vaccuum Energy density was formulated by Einstein in his Cosmological constant.

As the result of the Cosmological constant being proved finally correct which at one time had been discredited is now accepted.
The Vaccum Energy is now called DARK ENERGY. And what is contained in the Vaccum is called DARK MATTER.

Therefore the "Nothing" of what the Holy Bible referred to, is now identified as "Dark matter."

What is dark matter composition ? No Scientist really knows except of what it does.

All I know is that the space between the mass structures in the Universe is not EMPTY( devoid of any space structures).

Its very vely simple.

Answer 4

A previous answer was incorrect.

Outerspace is never completely devoid of matter. Space between stars is composed of sparse matter such as thinly spread gas, dust, hydrogen plasma, ionized atomic nuclei, subatomic particles, and dark matter. Even the emptiest parts of space contain at least a few hundred atoms or molecules per cubic meter.

An absolute vacuum (absolute emptiness) has never been produced or observed by man and remains only a philosophical concept.

Answer 5

It is room. In fact, the German word for outer space is Weltraum, which is a compound word made up of Welt and Raum, which mean world and room. So Weltraum is world room. There is no difference between the space in your house and outer space, except that outer space is bigger and has no air.

Answer 6

True space contains some molecules, Helium, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, etc.

There is not much at all and space is almost a true vacuum.

Answer 7

Space is everything that is left in the universe once you take out all of the matter/energy.

There is no nothing.

Answer 8

Well, technically the answer is in the question. Nothing. There is nothing at all there. It is a vacuum, there is no gas or objects occupying the reigon, it lacks matter. It can be measured as distance, but there is no physical object or matter there.
It really can't be explained better than that.

Answer 9

I like the analogy of an "empty room with no air", space isn't entirely empty. Like an empty room there is "dust" floating around, there are also clouds of gas etc.

Answer 10

The Earth and the atmosphere have mass and density.

Space has 1 hydrogen atom for about every centimetre cubed...

In certain degree it is opposite of our reality.