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Old 24-January-2004, 04:36 PM
Sam5 Sam5 is online now
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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Default Re: Universe Expansion

Quote:
Originally Posted by russ_watters
This is why I prefer the expanding balloon analogy. The checkerboard analogy requires an infinite space: the expanding balloon is finite.

If you're on the surface of an expanding balloon (2d surface expanding in 3d), as it expands, objects move away faster the further they are away from you. You appear to be the center, but every other point on the balloon can say the same thing. It also makes it possible to travel around the balloon and get back where you started - an interesting possibility for 3d space.

So, regardless of whether the universe is finite or infinite, there still isn't a center.
You don't know if there is a center or not.

We do not live on the surface of a balloon. We do not live on the “surface” of our universe. Our universe is 3-D plus time and seems to be expanding outwards. If this is a Euclidean expansion, and if you run the expansion backward, that will show you where the center is.
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