Do We Know What Gravity Is?

[Bosco]

My roommate claims we don't know what gravity is, I say he is a dumbass. Which is true?

[sabotai]

I wouldn't be surprised if both were true...

[wig]

We don't know what gravity is.

[Poli]

We are not as strong as we think we are.

[sabotai]

We know what gravity is...it is the force that causes to masses to attract each other (or something like that). Do we know WHY there is gravity or what CAUSES gravity? No (at least, I haven't heard if they found out)

[wig]

The theory of "gravitons" is one of the most rediculous things I've ever read about.

:(

[Bosco]

Has anyone ever hit the cover off a baseball?

[Poli]

All I have to do is look at really big people. Gravity exists.

[Axxon]

The theory of "gravitons" is one of the most rediculous things I've ever read about.

:(

Can you briefly describe the theory? I've never heard of it but I'm not much of a science enthusiast.

[Axxon]

All I have to do is look at really big people. Gravity exists.

So you're saying you are attracted to really big women??? :)

[Poli]

I'm not much of a science enthusiast.


/adds Axxon to buddy list.

[Poli]

So you're saying you are attracted to really big women??? :)

No, fortunately. I'm saying I'm surprised some ships in the Navy still float with the weight of some sailors out there.

[kcchief19]

I think somebody needs to change the bong water. Or check out Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Or watch the episode of Sesame Street where they talk about Isaac "Shaft" Newton.

[Axxon]

No, fortunately. I'm saying I'm surprised some ships in the Navy still float with the weight of some sailors out there.

You aren't kidding. A couple of years ago I was working with a guy who came off a carrier. He had to be topping 400 easily. He said he gained it all after he left the Navy but damned, he wasn't that old. :)

[wig]

Can you briefly describe the theory? I've never heard of it but I'm not much of a science enthusiast.

The really basic idea is that gravitons are particles like protons that have no mass, but transmit "gravity" from one object to another.

It kind of like me throwing a ball to you, and then the ball pulling you towards me when it gets there.

[Axxon]

The really basic idea is that gravitons are particles like protons that have no mass, but transmit "gravity" from one object to another.

It kind of like me throwing a ball to you, and then the ball pulling you towards me when it gets there.

So presumably larger objects would have more gravitons thus their greater pull?

[Poli]

So presumably larger objects would have more gravitons thus their greater pull?

larger objects = heavy people :)

[wig]

So presumably larger objects would have more gravitons thus their greater pull?

Exactly, larger objects would emit more gravitons.

This brings up the law of conservation of mass. Since an object can't emit mass without getting smaller, they "decided" that gravitons have no mass.

It's all bogus science if you ask me.

[Axxon]

larger objects = heavy people :)

Well, not necessarily so as heavy is supposedly a byproduct of gravity not vice versa. :)

[JeeberD]

I hate physics...

[Poli]

Well, not necessarily so as heavy is supposedly a byproduct of gravity not vice versa. :)


If you throw in a flux capacitor, I'm in.

[Axxon]

Exactly, larger objects would emit more gravitons.

This brings up the law of conservation of mass. Since an object can't emit mass without getting smaller, they "decided" that gravitons have no mass.

It's all bogus science if you ask me.

Maybe they're carried by neutrinos? I still don't understand those but aren't they massless and invisible and made up too?

[Poli]

I thought neutrons had mass.

[Axxon]

If you throw in a flux capacitor, I'm in.

Since I'm not a science guy you'll have to tell me how many gigawatts we need.

[sabotai]

1.21 Gigawatts!?!?!?

[Axxon]

I thought neutrons had mass.

I believe they do but neutrons are not neutrinos which I think were supposedly emitted during the big bang.

[Poli]

Since I'm not a science guy you'll have to tell me how many gigawatts we need.


It's a common misconception due to the Back to the Future movies that flux capacitors are gigawatt rated.

[Poli]

I believe they do but neutrons are not neutrinos which I think were supposedly emitted during the big bang.

Neutrinos. Sounds like what I had for lunch.

[sabotai]

I believe they do but neutrons are not neutrinos which I think were supposedly emitted during the big bang.

Quick lesson, neutrinos are a lot like electrons, except they do not carry a charge.

[Poli]

Quick lesson, neutrinos are a lot like electrons, except they do not carry a charge.

Wouldn't that make them "neutrons"? :)

[sabotai]

Wouldn't that make them "neutrons"? :)

No.

[Poli]

No.

I thought you defined a neutron there. Weird.

[sabotai]

I thought you defined a neutron there. Weird.

neutrino - like an electron, but without an electrical charge. Are not found in atoms (at least, I don't think they are). It is one of the fundamental particles.

neutron - along with protons, neutrons are found in the nucleas of an atom. Are made of quarks (a quark is a fundamental particle)

[Poli]

Eh, I think in terms of pro, neu, and electrons. It's my job, sort of. I try not to think outside the atom. :)

[sabotai]

Eh, I think in terms of pro, neu, and electrons. It's my job, sort of. I try not to think outside the atom. :)

Gotcha. :)

[Axxon]

And you wonder why I'm not a science guy. :)

So sabs, what's the point of neutrinos anyway???

[sabotai]

The point of neutrinos? I think you'd have to ask god or some other all-powerful thing that one. :)

[Axxon]

The point of neutrinos? I think you'd have to ask god or some other all-powerful thing that one. :)

Ok, but as I recall they are a theory which we can't verify, right? We can't see them, measure them or anything .

In this case, while their existance is indeed god's domain, the reason we invented the theory is what I'm asking basically.

[wig]

Lots of these theoretical things are purely speculation.

Scientists think "well, this would happen if there was a particle that behaved this way". Then, they go out and try to find one that fits the description.

It's pretty ass-backwards sometimes.

[Axxon]

Lots of these theoretical things are purely speculation.

Scientists think "well, this would happen if there was a particle that behaved this way". Then, they go out and try to find one that fits the description.

It's pretty ass-backwards sometimes.

I agree.

[BigJohn&TheLions]

I loves me some gravity. I like it on biscuits in the morning. I like it on my mashted potatoes. I love it on my poke chops. I loves me some gravity.

[tucker342]

I think somebody needs to change the bong water. Or check out Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Or watch the episode of Sesame Street where they talk about Isaac "Shaft" Newton.
One of my friends chugged the bong water one time... it was pretty gross.

[Axxon]

I loves me some gravity. I like it on biscuits in the morning. I like it on my mashted potatoes. I love it on my poke chops. I loves me some gravity.


Braggadociousssss?????

[Sublime]

Was Dark Matter found? I thought i read something on it finally being discovered the other day.

[wig]

I was going to say that "dark matter" was proven, but it's misleading.

As far as I know, "dark matter" is just the term for all the stuff we know should be there, but can't find. We're always finding new stuff that was once part of "dark matter".

[SFL Cat]

Neutrinos. Sounds like what I had for lunch.

Me too...gave me gas.

btw, "dark matter" is just a generic term scientists have given to "unseen" matter in the universe. No direct evidence for it, but is indirectly inferred by such phenomena as the motions of astronomical objects, specifically stellar, galactic, and galaxy cluster/supercluster observations. It is also required in order to enable gravity to amplify the small fluctuations in the Cosmic Microwave Background enough to form the large-scale structures that we see in the universe today.

[Franklinnoble]

I found some dark matter between my toes this morning...

[Desnudo]

I was going to say that "dark matter" was proven, but it's misleading.

As far as I know, "dark matter" is just the term for all the stuff we know should be there, but can't find. We're always finding new stuff that was once part of "dark matter".

500 years from now, people in grade school will read about science during our time and laugh. They called it "dark matter" and thought there was only one universe? How ridiculous.

[SFL Cat]

^^^^ Especially after we discover there really is a God.

[sterlingice]

500 years from now, people in grade school will read about science during our time and laugh. They called it "dark matter" and thought there was only one universe? How ridiculous.
I think the Big Bang will be the one they look back and laugh at us most about in the "world is flat" sense. "They thought the universe was formed from some explosion of illogical matter during which many physics laws don't apply. How quaint and archaic."

SI

[andy m]

gravity: http://www.gravityrec.com

[Castlerock]

Gravity Probe B is set to launch on Monday.

Einstein proposed in 1916 that space and time form a structure that can be curved by the presence of a body, like the Earth, warping it like the dimple created by the heft of bowling ball resting on a soft mattress. That distortion accounts for gravity.

The warping effect has been measured before. The twisting effect, called frame-dragging, has never been directly detected. Gravity Probe B aims to detect both.

hxxp://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=624&e=20&u=/ap/einstein_satellite
hxxp://einstein.stanford.edu/

[Butter]

^^^^ Especially after we discover there really is a God.

I thought one of the Star Trek movies already showed this.

[sabotai]

Ok, but as I recall they are a theory which we can't verify, right? We can't see them, measure them or anything .

Not really...there are 3 types of nuetrinos, 2 of which have been observed using particle accelerators (I think). There are 3 types of charged particles (the electron, muon and tau). These 6 particles make up the group known as Leptons. Only 1 of the nuetrinos are "in theory only" (it has not been "verified").

[sabotai]

Lots of these theoretical things are purely speculation.

Scientists think "well, this would happen if there was a particle that behaved this way". Then, they go out and try to find one that fits the description.

Yes, this is called a hypothesis, which layman very frequently confuse with a theory, and thus the typical response from people who don't know what they are talking about "it's only a theory".

[Chubby]

I thought one of the Star Trek movies already showed this.

That wasn't god, that was some evil alien guy that was banished.

[Butter]

That wasn't god, that was some evil alien guy that was banished.

Banished by who? God.

Thank you very much.

[wig]

Yes, this is called a hypothesis, which layman very frequently confuse with a theory, and thus the typical response from people who don't know what they are talking about "it's only a theory".

Whatever words you use, the fact remains that they guess, then look to see if they can find something that fits the guess.

As far as gravity goes, we're still at the guessing stage.

[Butter]

Whatever words you use, the fact remains that they guess, then look to see if they can find something that fits the guess.

As far as gravity goes, we're still at the guessing stage.

I think "guessing" implies they don't know what the hell they're doing. Just call me Cap'n Semantic.

I think they probably have a smidgen better idea of what to look for than, say, you do.

[Chubby]

Banished by who? God.

Thank you very much.
Was it? I don't remember, it's been so long since I saw that movie. I just remembered that they thought it was god beyond the "Great Barrier" (or whatever it was called) then it wasn't him cause what would god need with a spaceship?

[Butter]

Was it?

For the sake of the argument, let's say it was.

I am the champion, my friiiieeeends
And I'll keep on lying 'til the end...

[sabotai]

Whatever words you use, the fact remains that they guess, then look to see if they can find something that fits the guess.

Well, first off, they don't just "guess", as Butter pointed out. They generally have insight to the situation that you do not. A better term would "educated guess", or as I said, a hypothesis.

Secondly, if you have a better way to find out the explaination to something that has not been explained before, please, enlighten the world.

[Bosco]

Alright back to my other question has anyone ever hit the cover off a baseball in a game. Specifically against the Yankees sometime after 1983.

[sabotai]

In a game? No. In practice? Yes. (Edit: I did not do it, a teamate did. Just clarifying that I saw it from a distance and didn't actually do it myself)

[Bosco]

In a game? No. In practice? Yes. (Edit: I did not do it, a teamate did. Just clarifying that I saw it from a distance and didn't actually do it myself)

My roommate claims he saw a Yankees game where a player on the opposing team hit the cover off the ball. I think this further proves he is a dumbass.

[Butter]

My roommate claims he saw a Yankees game where a player on the opposing team hit the cover off the ball. I think this further proves he is a dumbass.

I bet it was Jose Lind. That guy had some POWER!

[wig]

Well, first off, they don't just "guess", as Butter pointed out. They generally have insight to the situation that you do not. A better term would "educated guess", or as I said, a hypothesis.

Secondly, if you have a better way to find out the explaination to something that has not been explained before, please, enlighten the world.

I don't remember saying that I knew what gravity was, or that I had a better scientific method. All I know is that someone asked for a simple explanation, and I tried to give one.

[RPI-Fan]

How did we discover the world isn't flat? People looked at information that coulnd't be verified (we didn't take out a yardstick and measure star distance/angles etc.) - we relied on technology we had to verify our guess that something was "off". Until we had satelittes, we were going on a hypothesis, much like we are with neutrinos/dark matter and all that junk.

[Axxon]

How did we discover the world isn't flat? People looked at information that coulnd't be verified (we didn't take out a yardstick and measure star distance/angles etc.) - we relied on technology we had to verify our guess that something was "off". Until we had satelittes, we were going on a hypothesis, much like we are with neutrinos/dark matter and all that junk.

Um, no, not really. Once we had circumnavigated the earth without falling off the edge, it's safe to say that the theory that the earth isn't flat wasn't merely a hypothesis but rather a fact.

Even gravity can't hide a freaking edge.

[sabotai]

I don't remember saying that I knew what gravity was, or that I had a better scientific method. All I know is that someone asked for a simple explanation, and I tried to give one.

Please wig. You were going on and on about people were just guessing and I called you on what you were saying. This is just a BS response to my post from you.

[RPI-Fan]

Um, no, not really. Once we had circumnavigated the earth without falling off the edge, it's safe to say that the theory that the earth isn't flat wasn't merely a hypothesis but rather a fact.

Even gravity can't hide a freaking edge.
We knew the world wasn't flat well before circumnavigation. 4th Grade American History textbooks might tell you otherwise, but they're, umm, wrong.

[Axxon]

We knew the world wasn't flat well before circumnavigation. 4th Grade American History textbooks might tell you otherwise, but they're, umm, wrong.

Hey I'm not the one who said it was satellites that proved it you are. The fact that the earth wasn't flat was known at least as far back as Pythagoras and Aristotle himself knew it to be round, not coin shaped.

Hey, just because I said I'm not a science guy is no reason to think I'm a dumbass or clueless of history. Now, tell us again how satellites proved that the world wasn't flat. I do recall you typing


Until we had satelittes, we were going on a hypothesis, much like we are with neutrinos/dark matter and all that junk.


And that simply isn't true. Even if you call the thinking of Pythagoras, Aristotle, Parmenides, Axemander and others simple hypothesis, you can't argue with the fact that the hypothesis was totally rendered a fact when no one dropped off the edge when they circumnavigated the globe. That's a whole lot earlier than the satellittes ( sic ) that you credited with this.

[RPI-Fan]

Ok, fine. It was still well accepted approximately a century before we circumnavigated the earth.

I retract my earlier statement.

[Axxon]

Ok, fine. It was still well accepted approximately a century before we circumnavigated the earth.

I retract my earlier statement.

Retraction accepted but it was well accepted in Greek times and definitely by Roman times actually. That is, among the educated ones which admittedly was a minority of the public.

[Poli]

The world is round?

[wig]

Please wig. You were going on and on about people were just guessing and I called you on what you were saying. This is just a BS response to my post from you.

Seriously, I wasn't trying to say that scientists were stupid. Why would I pretend that I know more about the scientific method than people that do this for a living?

I don't know why you're trying to manufacture a fight where none exists.

I just think "gravitons" are stupid.

[RPI-Fan]

Ok, so I'm saying we had a strong theory (much like neutrinos/gravitons/whatever) that the earth was round well before we circumnavigated.

My initial point was saying that we're doing the same thing today with subatomic particles as we did milleniums ago with the round world.

[Axxon]

Ok, so I'm saying we had a strong theory (much like neutrinos/gravitons/whatever) that the earth was round well before we circumnavigated.

My initial point was saying that we're doing the same thing today with subatomic particles as we did milleniums ago with the round world.

I agree with your point. Always did. I just didn't like the example much. :)

I do believe that some of the theories now and then ( for example, the whole earth is coin shaped which came from the whole parallax thing ) are very out there and are brought out to try and fit the discovery with the observation. Nowadays we have a higher respect for science than ever in history but it still behooves us to take these theories with a huge grain of salt.

[sabotai]

Seriously, I wasn't trying to say that scientists were stupid. Why would I pretend that I know more about the scientific method than people that do this for a living?

When you said "Whatever words you use, the fact remains that they guess" pretty much gave the implication that was indeed what you were doing.

I don't know why you're trying to manufacture a fight where none exists.

I'm trying to manufacture a fight? :rolleyes: