What does ' fabric of space' mean?

Question

I heard it's something to do with Black Holes, and space time...

Answer 1

It is just a way for you to visualize the mathematics and physics interpretation of how matter effects space. It is more complex than what is describe to us in some science series but it's enough to give us an idea.

Answer 2

just a phase that refers to space itself. It's really to show how space sometimes curves and depresses. the fabric in presence of matter curves, that's really how black holes are understood to the extent we know.

Answer 3

It is just a saying.

Space has no fabric, but mathematically it can be described as curved and people have a hard time thinking of empty space being curved, so they made up this term "fabric of space" or sometimes "fabric of space-time".

Answer 4

the universe is expanding constantly.  So there is new "space" being created between all the planets and stars and even between atoms.  This space is called space-time.  The word "fabric" is used becuase we talk about it tearing and ripping and so on.

Answer 5

The person who made up the phrase was hoping you would understand. Oh well.

Answer 6

time and space are woven and intertwined. i guess it could be called a fabric. the theory is that a black hole is a rip in the space time continuum(fabric). so if you could survive going through a blackhole, you would go back in time or jump through the galaxy

Answer 7

The fabric of space is that indefinable something between interstella objects,like planets and galaxies.

Lately it has been referred to as 'dark matter'.  Not yet fully understood by science.

Though it is widely thought that 98% of space is made up of the stuff.  With Galaxies only making up the last 2 %.

Answer 8

Light travels in 'straight' lines except near massive gravitational bodies where it 'bends' in accordance with the principle of equivalence of accelerated ref frames and local grav fields according to the gen theory of relativity. Due to the special status of the velocity of light, it is far more convenient to regard the path it follows as being due to the curvature of space-time. The 'fabric' notion derives from this. All that physics is stating is that extreme gravitational/rotating bodies have have 'metrics' in which normal Euclidean geometry does not work. The 'fabric' concept implies a material status for space in such way that it can be altered as if it were a real substance, when in fact you are talking about the relative distances and dimensions of geometrical objects within it and how they can vary.

Answer 9

Yes alphamee... is right! Everything is linked, but to us its just space, its hard to see what occupies that space, because our technology is not suitable, yet. However, there has to be something there, because science (maths) knows it to be. That, because everything conceivable, corresponds to, and influences that of others.

look up 'attractive nuclear force' which should at some point lead you to a 'special nuclear force', by which your either really confused or, beginning to understand, that space can not exist without content, ie 'fabric'.