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I have some questions; I hope you don't mind:

$\bullet$ If the space between two distance galaxies is increasing, then is the volumes of space in which the galaxies find themselves also moving apart?

$\bullet$ In this case, although nothing can move (locally) faster than light in space, can space itself move faster than light? Relative to another piece of space?

$\bullet$ How would you be able to tell if the space you are in is

a) moving at a constant velocity past you

or,

b) accelerating past you?

andy
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  • The crux of your questions seems to be "is space something like a material that can be manipulated?" You should pare down your question to such a thesis (whether the one I mentioned or otherwise); as it is, the current eight separate questions is beyond the normal allowed in a question post. – Asher Nov 13 '15 at 16:43
  • The concept of a machine that can absorb small amounts of space locally does not seem to me to be mainstream physics. Is it? – RedGrittyBrick Nov 13 '15 at 16:53
  • If we were able to manipulate the inflaton field perhaps such a machine could become possible? –  Nov 13 '15 at 17:08
  • Related: http://physics.stackexchange.com/q/2110/2451 , http://physics.stackexchange.com/q/26549/2451 and links therein. – Qmechanic Nov 16 '15 at 13:41
  • So I guess my questions are – andy Nov 17 '15 at 14:12
  • can space move?(yes or no) relative to an observer on earth? 2) if space can move, can it move faster than the speed of light relative to the observer? (y/n) and 3)if space can move and it was moving past an observer in space who was stationary relative to the earth but not on earth, what effect would it have on the observer? (if space was moving with a constant velocity, would there be a time dilation difference between the observer and the earth? (Y/N)and by an acceleration, would the observer would feel a force? (Y/N)
    • – andy Nov 17 '15 at 14:23
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    Hi Andy. Spacetime is not a thing and therefore cannot move. We attach a coordinate system to spacetime, and it's possible to choose coordinates that are a function of time, so there is a sense in which the coordinates move. Examples would be the Gullstrand-Painleve coordinates or the Rindler coordinates. However to ask can space move is a meaningless question. – John Rennie Dec 15 '15 at 14:52