to be a little pedantic, if you take in account the rate of expansion of the universe, and take as a truth that the ghost stays stationary in spacetime, earth would disappear in an instant
That’s a fair point. So then one might expect the ghost to continue their motion tangential to the orbit of the earth, and so they’ll float away.
However, the theory of general relativity suggests that gravity isn’t really like other forces. It doesn’t push or pull anything at all; but rather its bends the fabric of time and space. Objects ‘falling’ due to gravity, or ‘in orbit’ around a planet are actually moving in a direct straight line in curved space-time. And this is why gravity still applies to massless objects such as light. So then, I’d say the ghost would still be affected by gravity - and that their main concern would be falling into the earth rather than drifting away.
Would that not depend on your inertial frame? Like isn’t the entire concept of being stationary relative to spacetime not an actual thing? I’m not trying to be pedantic, BTW, I literally don’t know the answer to my question.
Yup. Same as the time travel meme that was on the front page recently, this relies on there being a fixed inertial frame which is not a thing in our weird universe.
to be a little pedantic, if you take in account the rate of expansion of the universe, and take as a truth that the ghost stays stationary in spacetime, earth would disappear in an instant
The spirit is already moving at the same speed and in the same direction as the earth when it exits the body.
😆 this comment really amused me, i guess the basic physics plus ghosts in the same matter-of-fact statement
It is a bit absurd. Isn’t it?
That’s a fair point. So then one might expect the ghost to continue their motion tangential to the orbit of the earth, and so they’ll float away.
However, the theory of general relativity suggests that gravity isn’t really like other forces. It doesn’t push or pull anything at all; but rather its bends the fabric of time and space. Objects ‘falling’ due to gravity, or ‘in orbit’ around a planet are actually moving in a direct straight line in curved space-time. And this is why gravity still applies to massless objects such as light. So then, I’d say the ghost would still be affected by gravity - and that their main concern would be falling into the earth rather than drifting away.
But that would imply that the ghost is a physical thing right?
Does it come to existence when we are born? Or does it appear when we die?
Does It behave like matter? If not, properties like velocity, inertia or energy wouldn’t apply.
The comic is really amusing to bring forth these questions
And it would still be gone in an instant
Nah, it won’t be perfect. Some, tiny divergent velocity will exist.
Depends on if fell to your death or maybe crashed into something while driving uphill.
I’m imaging in all these jumpers passing each other in the earth’s core now.
Would that not depend on your inertial frame? Like isn’t the entire concept of being stationary relative to spacetime not an actual thing? I’m not trying to be pedantic, BTW, I literally don’t know the answer to my question.
Yup. Same as the time travel meme that was on the front page recently, this relies on there being a fixed inertial frame which is not a thing in our weird universe.
There might be one, but there is just no way of knowing
No, there cannot be one. It’s been proven, I’m pretty sure.
which is all the more terrifying