CTEBO
03-12-04, 01:50 PM
Picture empty, empty space. Then put a rubber balloon in it. Say that it is the size of the moon (big balloon). You are at its surface, but ain't nothing holding you to it (no gravity).
All of a sudden, the balloon begins to inflate. It is not inflating at a constant rate; its radius is moving outward (expanding) at an accelerating rate of 1g.
You can now stand on the surface of the planet and walk around as if you were on Earth. A major difference would be that as you look at the horizon, it is getting straighter and straighter with time.
Now imagine that you are made of this same balloon substance. You therefore, also, inflate along with the balloon planetoid.
Since both you and the balloon are inflating, you do not perceive the balloon's inflation with your own eyes (you don't see the straigtening of the horizon). You are left to wonder what this strange force-at-a-distance is that is holding you firmly to the surface of this gigantic balloon.
a model for gravity without gravitons or curved space-time (although gravitons and curved space-time can creatively be incorporated)
All of a sudden, the balloon begins to inflate. It is not inflating at a constant rate; its radius is moving outward (expanding) at an accelerating rate of 1g.
You can now stand on the surface of the planet and walk around as if you were on Earth. A major difference would be that as you look at the horizon, it is getting straighter and straighter with time.
Now imagine that you are made of this same balloon substance. You therefore, also, inflate along with the balloon planetoid.
Since both you and the balloon are inflating, you do not perceive the balloon's inflation with your own eyes (you don't see the straigtening of the horizon). You are left to wonder what this strange force-at-a-distance is that is holding you firmly to the surface of this gigantic balloon.
a model for gravity without gravitons or curved space-time (although gravitons and curved space-time can creatively be incorporated)