--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A space that is empty in the sense that…" description: "\"“A space that is empty in the sense that it doesn't contain masses is nothing but a special case of the above. Looking at it from the four-dimensional ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/henning-genz-4557_empty-space_a-space-that-is-empty-in-the-sense-that_3051848.jpg" --- # A space that is empty in the sense that it doesn't contain… ![“A space that is empty in the sense that it doesn't contain masses is nothing but a special case of the above. Looking at it from the four-dimensional vantage point, space and time are interwoven according to the laws of special relativity theory. Space proper is Euclidean in its limit of vanishing…” quote by Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/henning-genz-4557_empty-space_a-space-that-is-empty-in-the-sense-that_3051848.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/henning-genz-4557_empty-space_a-space-that-is-empty-in-the-sense-that_3051848.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/henning-genz-4557_empty-space_a-space-that-is-empty-in-the-sense-that_3051848.jpg) > ““A space that is empty in the sense that it doesn't contain masses is nothing but a special case of the above. Looking at it from the four-dimensional vantage point, space and time are interwoven according to the laws of special relativity theory. Space proper is Euclidean in its limit of vanishing gravity-trajectories of free fall are the straight lines already known from Newtonian physics. I will not go into detail considering space and time together in that case. Suffice it to say that this "empty space-time," too, can be described by a field; it is just one specific case among many others, and doesn't stand out.”” [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Empty space is still a field described by relativity; it’s a special case where no mass is present. **In simple terms:** Even without mass, space‑time follows physical laws. Key Takeaway Recognize that “empty” still follows rules. Themes physics relativity fields Mood analytical curious Type educational scientific When to use this quote - academic teaching - physics research - educational videos Key Concepts spacetime special relativity field theory Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect our understanding of vacuum energy? - What practical experiments probe empty space‑time? A Different Perspective Empty space still carries physical implications despite lacking matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Empty space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empty-space/) [Relativity Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relativity-theory-672593/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Space and time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-and-time/) [Space Proper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-proper-5079069/) [Space time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-time/) [Straight line](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straight-line/) [Time together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-together/) [Vanishing Gravity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanishing-gravity-5079070/) [Vantage point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vantage-point/) ## Related quotes > [“Light is an excitation of empty space proper, of the vacuum. It is no more and no less.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/light-is-an-excitation-of-empty-space-proper-of-the-vacuum-it-is-no/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [I heard that in relativity theory, space and time are the same thing. Einstein discovered this when he kept showing up three miles late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-heard-that-in-relativity-theory-space-and-time-are-the-same-thing/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Even in relativity theory even though you can analyze space - time in terms of this four-dimensional geometrical structure one of the dimensions is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/even-in-relativity-theory-even-though-you-can-analyze-space-time-in/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [“We have good reason to believe that space and time begin to merge into quantum mechanical uncertainty at distances this small; they must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/we-have-good-reason-to-believe-that-space-and-time-begin-to-merge/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [I believe that I have really found the relationship between gravitation and electricity, assuming that the Miller experiments are based on a fundamental error.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-believe-that-i-have-really-found-the-relationship-between/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“When we encounter unexpected obstacles in finding out something which we wish to know, there are two possible courses to take. It may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-stanley-eddington/when-we-encounter-unexpected-obstacles-in-finding-out-something-which/) [Arthur Stanley Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-stanley-eddington/) > [“If Relativity Theory kills our deepest convictions, why not start by finding out why we believed in them for millennia?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-alba-juez/if-relativity-theory-kills-our-deepest-convictions-why-not-start-by/) [Felix Alba-Juez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-alba-juez/) > [“As we already pointed out, 'special' means 'restricted to Inertial Frames of Reference', i.e. this theory cannot describe the Universe from an arbitrary reference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-alba-juez/as-we-already-pointed-out-special-means-restricted-to-inertial-frames/) [Felix Alba-Juez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-alba-juez/) > [Now to the term 'relativity theory.' I admit that it is unfortunate, and has given occasion to philosophical misunderstandings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/now-to-the-term-relativity-theory-i-admit-that-it-is-unfortunate-and/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [In my relativity theory I set up a clock at every point in space, but in reality I find it difficult to provide even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/in-my-relativity-theory-i-set-up-a-clock-at-every-point-in-space-but/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Indoctrination,” Michael Simpson replied. “We still base our science on the Theory of Relativity. Not because it is one hundred percent correct, but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-hamre/indoctrination-michael-simpson-replied-we-still-base-our-science-on/) [Erik Hamre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-hamre/) > [“Relatives come to your house and make fun of you. Then you go as a relative to their house and make fun of them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nitya-prakash/relatives-come-to-your-house-and-make-fun-of-you-then-you-go-as-a/) [Nitya Prakash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nitya-prakash/) > [“I believe that the Big-Bang Theory and the Evolution Theory, as well as Einstein’s Special Relativity Theory which does not allow for the existence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-takaaki-musha/i-believe-that-the-big-bang-theory-and-the-evolution-theory-as-well/) [Dr. Takaaki Musha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-takaaki-musha/) > [ No one must think that Newton’s great creation can be overthrown in any real sense by this \[Theory of Relativity\] or by any other… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/no-one-must-think-that-newton-s-great-creation-can-be-overthrown-in/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [It is probably safe to say that all the changes of factual knowledge which have led to the relativity theory, resulting in a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/it-is-probably-safe-to-say-that-all-the-changes-of-factual-knowledge/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) ## More by Henning Genz > [“Recall our discussion of the pendulum. Its position at a given instant does not fix its subsequent behavior. Suppose a photograph shows the pendulum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/recall-our-discussion-of-the-pendulum-its-position-at-a-given-instant/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [“Just as with sound waves, light waves emitted by a moving source show the Doppler effect. What we observe instead of the sound pitch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/just-as-with-sound-waves-light-waves-emitted-by-a-moving-source-show/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [“The interpretation of apparent long-distance action by means of continuously propagating effects was vigorously asserted by Isaac Newton. In his wake, the interpretation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/the-interpretation-of-apparent-long-distance-action-by-means-of/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [“The quantity that physicists call the specific heat of a substance is defined as the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/the-quantity-that-physicists-call-the-specific-heat-of-a-substance-is/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [“To gain any intuitive understanding of the breakdown of this ultimate symmetry through vacuum effects at the critical 10^-44 seconds after the Big Bang,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/to-gain-any-intuitive-understanding-of-the-breakdown-of-this-ultimate/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [“To illustrate this relation, think of a game of table tennis. As the ball hits the table, it will bounce up and down. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/to-illustrate-this-relation-think-of-a-game-of-table-tennis-as-the/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [“Before the particles that we observe today materialized, all matter in the early universe must have gone through this stage of a quark-gluon soup,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/before-the-particles-that-we-observe-today-materialized-all-matter-in/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [“In physics terms, the reason for symmetry breaking is the instability of the symmetric state.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/in-physics-terms-the-reason-for-symmetry-breaking-is-the-instability/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [“What really transcends our understanding is the mechanism that permits these oscillations of abstract field quantities to carry energy. We know this is true;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/what-really-transcends-our-understanding-is-the-mechanism-that/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [“Chaotic or disordered distributions are symmetrical on the average. An observer cannot conclude anything about his location from looking around him. An example is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/chaotic-or-disordered-distributions-are-symmetrical-on-the-average-an/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [“The hotter a substance, the faster and the less ordered its molecular motion, and the larger the momentum with which molecules collide. Above 0…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/the-hotter-a-substance-the-faster-and-the-less-ordered-its-molecular/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [“This elementary process is symbolically illustrated in figure 59c: A photon becomes an electron-positron pair; inversely, an electron and a positron can combine into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/this-elementary-process-is-symbolically-illustrated-in-figure-59c-a/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [“John Maddox, the editor of the British journal Nature, had immediately suggested that the minister should be told that the Higgs boson can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/john-maddox-the-editor-of-the-british-journal-nature-had-immediately/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [“At first glance, it may appear odd that the black hole loses mass upon absorbing another mass-that of the electron. Actually, this seeming paradox…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/at-first-glance-it-may-appear-odd-that-the-black-hole-loses-mass-upon/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [“We can now infer that at this initial cooldown of the universe across the critical temperature of 10^15 degrees, a mini planetary system might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/we-can-now-infer-that-at-this-initial-cooldown-of-the-universe-across/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) [Explore all 109 Henning Genz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) ## More Empty space quotes > [“Love. Such a sweet, simple word. A word I've been searching for my entire life - but especially since I met Eio - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-khoury/love-such-a-sweet-simple-word-a-word-i-ve-been-searching-for-my/) [Jessica Khoury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-khoury/) > [Our real nature is not our imaginary, limited ego. Our true nature is vast, all-comprehensive, and intangible as empty space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anagarika-govinda/our-real-nature-is-not-our-imaginary-limited-ego-our-true-nature-is/) [Anagarika Govinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anagarika-govinda/) > [“Everything we perceive to be solid and static is made up of almost entirely empty space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/everything-we-perceive-to-be-solid-and-static-is-made-up-of-almost/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [It's everywhere, really. It's between the galaxies. It is in this room. We believe that everywhere that you have space, empty space, that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-riess/it-s-everywhere-really-it-s-between-the-galaxies-it-is-in-this-room/) [Adam Riess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-riess/) > [Would you believe me if I said I was sorry The question wasn't mean to hurt, It was just my fear of losing you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/every-avenue/would-you-believe-me-if-i-said-i-was-sorry-the-question-wasn-t-mean/) [Every Avenue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/every-avenue/) > [Now, almost one hundred years later, it is difficult to fully appreciate how much our picture of the universe has changed in the span…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/now-almost-one-hundred-years-later-it-is-difficult-to-fully/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [“An atom is mostly made up of empty space. If you remove the empty space from every atom, the entire world's human population could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weike-wang/an-atom-is-mostly-made-up-of-empty-space-if-you-remove-the-empty/) [Weike Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weike-wang/) > [“The door opened after a few moments. Sherlock was looking slightly upwards, expecting Amyus Crowe to be standing inside the doorway, and for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lane/the-door-opened-after-a-few-moments-sherlock-was-looking-slightly/) [Andrew Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lane/) > [“The thirty spokes unite in the one nave; but it is on the empty space (for the axle), that the use of the wheel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/the-thirty-spokes-unite-in-the-one-nave-but-it-is-on-the-empty-space/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“She inhabited a world from which I was excluded, and she had left me in an immense empty space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-hayes/she-inhabited-a-world-from-which-i-was-excluded-and-she-had-left-me/) [Alfred Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-hayes/) > [Losing my daughter was a very serious pain. There was always some empty space in my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/losing-my-daughter-was-a-very-serious-pain-there-was-always-some/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [At the moment, I'm toying with a new idea for a book, but fully engaged with writing screenplays, so the book idea - which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-tremain/at-the-moment-i-m-toying-with-a-new-idea-for-a-book-but-fully-engaged/) [Rose Tremain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-tremain/) > [“The first time I walked through the spacious house, I didn't see possibility or a new start. I saw a big, empty space. These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-talbot/the-first-time-i-walked-through-the-spacious-house-i-didn-t-see/) [Jill Talbot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-talbot/) > [“All my life, I've been trying to fill an emptiness inside. But that emptiness...I've built myself around it. Filling it in would be like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-charlton/all-my-life-i-ve-been-trying-to-fill-an-emptiness-inside-but-that/) [Blake Charlton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-charlton/) > [“Where are we headed? Are we not endlessly plunging —backwards, sideways, forwards, in all directions? Is there an up and a down anymore? Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/where-are-we-headed-are-we-not-endlessly-plunging-backwards-sideways/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) [Browse all 453 Empty space quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empty-space/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A space that is empty in the sense that it doesn't contain masses is nothing but a special case of the above. Looking at it from the four-dimensional vantage point, space and time are interwoven according to the laws of special relativity theory. Space proper is Euclidean in its limit of vanishing gravity-trajectories of free fall are the straight lines already known from Newtonian physics. I will not go into detail considering space and time together in that case. Suffice it to say that this \"empty space-time,\" too, can be described by a field; it is just one specific case among many others, and doesn't stand out.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henning Genz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/a-space-that-is-empty-in-the-sense-that-it-doesn-t-contain-masses-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Empty space" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/a-space-that-is-empty-in-the-sense-that-it-doesn-t-contain-masses-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/henning-genz-4557_empty-space_a-space-that-is-empty-in-the-sense-that_3051848.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/henning-genz-4557_empty-space_a-space-that-is-empty-in-the-sense-that_3051848.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/henning-genz-4557_empty-space_a-space-that-is-empty-in-the-sense-that_3051848.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A space that is empty in the sense that it doesn't contain masses is nothing but a special case of the…” — Henning Genz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henning Genz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A space that is empty in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/a-space-that-is-empty-in-the-sense-that-it-doesn-t-contain-masses-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/a-space-that-is-empty-in-the-sense-that-it-doesn-t-contain-masses-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```