
Originally Posted by
Zwirko
I probably worded this question in a confusing way (because I'm confused about what it is I'm asking) , so I'll put it more clearly:
1) The universe is expanding.
2) Empty space is not really empty, as such. It contains energy.
3) That energy comes from a "froth" of virtual particles winking in and out of existence, apparently.
4) The amount of empty space is increasing (as the universe expands). So...
5) The amount of energy in the universe is going up. More space = more vacuum energy.
What I'm wondering is this: does this extra energy actually increase the amount of energy in the universe; that is, are we getting something for nothing?. Or, is it transferred somehow to the gravitational field of the universe, and canceled out?
A second, wider, related question is this: does it matter if the universe is increasing its energy content? Are any fundamental principles of physics violated? Does it have to cancel out to keep us all sane?