[Jay-qu]

I have watched many television programs about astro-physics and related topics, one analogy that frequently crops up is the grid like representation of gravity. They will normally show some sun or planet making a 'dent' in the fabric of space, drawing other objects towards them or trapped in orbits.

So my question is: This 'dent' in spacetime goes down in a direction, so is it possible to have a gravity in the opposite direction? like some sort of anti-gravity that may repel rather than attract...
(and if it exists what type of matter or conditions bring about this occurance?)

[lindagarrette]

Originally Posted by Jay-qu

I have watched many television programs about astro-physics and related topics, one analogy that frequently crops up is the grid like representation of gravity. They will normally show some sun or planet making a 'dent' in the fabric of space, drawing other objects towards them or trapped in orbits.

So my question is: This 'dent' in spacetime goes down in a direction, so is it possible to have a gravity in the opposite direction? like some sort of anti-gravity that may repel rather than attract...
(and if it exists what type of matter or conditions bring about this occurance?)

Only in science fiction.

[ldsoftwaresteve]

Being just a representation of one theory of gravity, that it is an attracting force, one could posit the existence of its opposite.

However, it is my understanding that we have never been able to detect a gravity wave. Gravity measuring devices measure the change in the speed at which two objects are approaching each other, I believe, and so only infer a gravitational attraction.

There is also a theory that says gravity is an effect, which if true, would probably invalidate the grid to which you refer.

[infamous]

Originally Posted by ldsoftwaresteve

Being just a representation of one theory of gravity, that it is an attracting force, one could posit the existence of its opposite.

However, it is my understanding that we have never been able to detect a gravity wave. Gravity measuring devices measure the change in the speed at which two objects are approaching each other, I believe, and so only infer a gravitational attraction.

There is also a theory that says gravity is an effect, which if true, would probably invalidate the grid to which you refer.

Are we talking about aether ldsoftwaresteve, I just love the stuff....

[ldsoftwaresteve]

Not sure what you mean. One other theory is that gravity is an effect of expansion. Read "The Final Theory", by Mark McCutcheon. The first chapter is on the net.

[Buffy]

Originally Posted by ldsoftwaresteve

Not sure what you mean. One other theory is that gravity is an effect of expansion. Read "The Final Theory", by Mark McCutcheon. The first chapter is on the net.

Already a thread on this one here. I like to characterize this as the "it doesn't suck, it blows" theory. Makes no sense at all, but there are lots of people who are fervent believers in this one.

Einstein's theory basically says that spacetime curves around large masses which is simplified visually from 4d to 3d projections (for us limited beings who can't move freely in 4 dimensions) as a wireframe showing a "downhill" that you "fall" into. Course its in a dimension we don't perceive well (time) so this is the best way to "understand" it visually.

This also implies that no, you can't make it go in the opposite direction unless you invert many of the basic parameters of physics, however, its just like coasting downhill versus pushing uphill, you can *go* in the opposite direction, but using a *different* force. Lots of interesting work in dark energy to see what impact it has on the measured amount of Einstein's cosmological constant that is counteracting gravity's desire to slow down the expansion of the Universe... "anti-gravity" effects could be gotten if we could figure out and harness dark energy. As Linda says though, this is getting into science fiction (which sometimes comes true!)....

Cheers,
Buffy

[OmegaX7]

Well Buffy, I've read most of your posts here and there already; this one however is in need of one "term" which I've not seen in any responses so far. I beleive your describing the "Swartzchild Geometry." What youv'e seen on paper and in diagrams can only assist you in imagining "SpaceTime." Gravity, being an electromagnetic field, as I'm sure you know, propogates in a manor similar to what youv'e seen when iron filaments are sprinkeled on a sheet of paper held above a magnet, and this works in four dimentions. ( imagin the effect if you could do it without the paper! ) Height, width, depth and time. I don't think you can make things work in reverse. I'll have to think about this one some more. Are you able to conceptualize this in your mind? Thats important. I'd like to suggest a book by Gerrit L. Verschuur titled "Hidden Attraction - The History and Mystery of Magnetism." It's only about 250 pgs long. Everything boils down to energy. It's a good book.
L8R
"After all is said and done, Gravity Rules."

[Buffy]

Originally Posted by OmegaX7

Well Buffy, I've read most of your posts here and there already; this one however is in need of one "term" which I've not seen in any responses so far. I beleive your describing the "Swartzchild Geometry."

I try to stay away from big terms. They can scare the readers...

Originally Posted by OmegaX7

Gravity, being an electromagnetic field, as I'm sure you know, propogates in a manor similar to what youv'e seen when iron filaments are sprinkeled on a sheet of paper held above a magnet, and this works in four dimentions.

Whoa! If you've figured out how to unify gravity with electro-weak, we'd better notify the Nobel prize committee! You gonna publish your work here? The world wants to see it!

Cheers,
Buffy

[Tormod]

Originally Posted by OmegaX7

Gravity, being an electromagnetic field

AFAIK there is no known connection between gravity and electromagnetism. The unification of gravity with electromagnetism is, as Buffy points out, a Nobel prize kind of discovery and is currently out of reach.

[Eduffy80911]

I have made a connection between gravity, magnetism and charge in a model I call Dynamic Tensegrity at DynamicTensegrity.com. It first assumes that the 90% missing matter or dark matter is actually an aether composed of particles outside the range of human observational capacity (too small and/or too fast). Once you make this assumption and apply atmospheric dynamics and some tensegrity principals to the interaction of matter and aether, the motion of particles and objects in the cosmos suddenly makes sense.