What Is A True Vacuum?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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A true is

the stable, lowest-energy state, like sitting still on a valley floor

. … A universe in a false vacuum state is called “metastable”, because it's not actively decaying (rolling), but it's not exactly stable either. There are two problems with living in a metastable universe.

Is there such thing as a true vacuum?

A vacuum is defined as a space devoid of all matter. … Ultimately,

a perfect vacuum isn't possible

because quantum theory dictates that energy fluctuations known as ‘virtual particles' are constantly popping in and out of existence, even in 'empty' space.

Does a true vacuum exist?

A vacuum is defined as a space devoid of all matter. … Ultimately,

a perfect vacuum isn't possible

because quantum theory dictates that energy fluctuations known as ‘virtual particles' are constantly popping in and out of existence, even in 'empty' space.

Does free space really exist?

And as in the rest of physics, its nature has turned out to be mind-bendingly weird:

Empty space is not really empty

because nothing contains something, seething with energy and particles that flit into and out of existence. Physicists have known that much for decades, ever since the birth of quantum mechanics.

Can a bubble exist in a vacuum?

In the vacuum of space, there's no surrounding air to push back on the outside of the soap film, which is so weak that it would burst pretty much instantly. Inside a spacecraft,

however, it's perfectly possible to blow bubbles

, even in the absence of gravity.

Does vacuum have energy?

The vacuum energy is

a special case of zero-point energy

that relates to the quantum vacuum. … Using the upper limit of the cosmological constant, the vacuum energy of free space has been estimated to be 10

− 9

joules (10

− 2

ergs), or ~5 GeV per cubic meter.

What does space smell like?

In a video shared by Eau de Space, NASA astronaut Tony Antonelli says space smells

“strong and unique

,” unlike anything he has ever smelled on Earth. According to Eau de Space, others have described the smell as “seared steak, raspberries, and rum,” smokey and bitter.

Why is vacuum not empty?

According to quantum physics,

even vacuums are not completely empty

. Constant fluctuations in energy can spontaneously create mass not just out of thin air, but out of absolutely nothing at all. … This peculiar nature of vacuum, sometimes referred to as “quantum vacuum,” is not just theoretical speculation.

Are we 99 empty space?

Every human on planet Earth is made up of millions and millions of atoms which all are

99% empty space

. If you were to remove all of the empty space contained in every atom in every person on planet earth and compress us all together, then the overall volume of our particles would be smaller than a sugar cube.

Why can't you make a bubble in space?

In space,

there is no pressure

. There are no air molecules in space to push anything. So if you try to blow a bubble in space nothing will happen. The air molecules inside the bubble have nothing to push against so the bubble will pop before it starts to form.

How far can a soap bubble travel?

Still, there is an ultimate height limit, which is the capillary length, very high for soap bubbles:

around 13 feet (4 meters)

. In principle, there is no limit in the length it can reach.

Can bubbles float in space?

In space, the air bubble doesn't rise because it is no lighter than the water around it—

there's no buoyancy

. The droplet doesn't fall from the leaf because there's no force to pull it off. It's stuck there by molecular adhesion.

Can we consider vacuum as matter?

Is it matter? A vacuum, to us, is

a space with no matter in it

. As a practical matter though, it's really a space with very little matter in it. … Even outer space, which is considered a vacuum and has less matter in it than anything mankind can reproduce, still has some atoms bouncing around.

How strong is the vacuum of space?

Vacuum quality Torr Atmosphere Ultra high vacuum 1×10

− 9

to 1×10

− 12

9.87×10

− 13

to 9.87×10

− 16
Extremely high vacuum
− 12


− 16
Outer space

1×10

− 6

to
− 17


9.87×10

− 10

to
− 20
Perfect vacuum 0 0

How strong is Zeropoint energy?

Physicists Richard Feynman and John Wheeler calculated the zero-point radiation of the vacuum to be an

order of magnitude greater than nuclear energy

, with a single light bulb containing enough energy to boil all the world's oceans.

Can you fart in space?

Surprisingly, that isn't the biggest problem associated with farting in space. Though you're definitely more likely to worsen a small fire when you fart, it won't always injure or kill you. The worst part about farting in space is the

lack of airflow

. Let's take a step back and remember how farting on Earth works.

Charlene Dyck
Author
Charlene Dyck
Charlene is a software developer and technology expert with a degree in computer science. She has worked for major tech companies and has a keen understanding of how computers and electronics work. Sarah is also an advocate for digital privacy and security.