When the water surface connects to the surface of the universe, is unpowered propulsion possible?

Ships are the oldest means of water transportation.

The first power of ships was human power, followed by wind power. During the first industrial revolution in the 19th century, Watt invented the steam engine, which was then applied to ships. The ships we see now are mainly powered by diesel engines, gas turbines, and nuclear power plants. So far, everything I have said may still be within your knowledge. Next, it is time to witness the miracle:

On the surface of a basin of clear water, there is an aluminum foil "boat" floating. When a syringe injects a substance into the stern of the boat, the boat immediately ejects at a very high speed. The syringe is not filled with any complex chemical substances, but something we are very familiar with - soapy water.

It is a force that minimizes the surface area of ​​a liquid. Here are two simple examples: if you add a paper clip to a seemingly full cup of water, you will find that the water surface is slightly convex but the water will not overflow; in the morning, water droplets condensed on leaves stand like hemispheres and will not disperse.

Surface tension "sticks" water together, giving the liquid surface a shape like a stretched membrane and preventing it from "breaking" so easily.

OK, let's go back to the experiment.

There is a type of substance called surfactant in soap, which can reduce the surface tension of water and destroy the viscosity of the liquid surface where it exists, causing the boat to be unevenly stressed on the water surface. The viscous force of the liquid in front is greater, and the boat gains speed and moves as if being pulled over. This leads to the phenomenon we observe.

Let’s take a look at another interesting picture:

When we drop detergent on the center of the color block on the surface of milk, the color block immediately "ran" to the surroundings. This is also the result of the surfactant reducing the tension of the water in the center of the color block to the lowest level.

However, dreams are beautiful, but reality is cruel. It is not easy to change the surface tension of real ships sailing on rivers and seas! However, the idea is of great significance. As Kant said in "An Outline of the History of the Development of the Universe": "The universe illuminates all directions with its incomparable hugeness, infinite diversity, and infinite beauty, which makes us speechless with amazement." Yes, if the spacecraft is regarded as a ship, then this idea can be applied to the universe.

As we all know, if we pile objects on a flat beach, the area where the objects are located will sink, making the beach no longer flat. Similarly, when the universe is a smooth space without any matter, the universe is similar to a beach. Then add celestial bodies to it, causing the originally smooth space to sink and become a space with a certain curvature. (This is because the appearance of matter brings gravity, and gravity causes any energy to change normal space in an infinitely curved way)

Such a curved space is very similar to a liquid with surface tension. That is, the surface of the liquid has different tensions at different places, and the universe also has curvatures of varying sizes and uneven distribution.

We can use surfactants to change the surface tension at the back of the paper boat so that there is a tension difference between the front and the back of the boat. Then we can somehow reduce the curvature of the back of the spacecraft so that there is a curvature difference between the front and the back of the spacecraft. This difference can drive the spacecraft to move at high speed.

Those who have watched "The Three-Body Problem" must be getting impatient: Isn't this the hint that Yun Tianming gave to the people on Earth in "The Three-Body Problem III: Death's End"? !

Yes, this theory has appeared in Liu Cixin's science fiction novels, but as he wrote, "Curvature drive is still a fantasy, just like hundreds of fantasy schemes for speed of light flight. No one knows whether it is feasible, either theoretically or technically."

There is no doubt that warping spacetime carries great risks. If this plan is successfully implemented, the activation of the curvature drive may change the curvature of the surrounding space permanently and diffusely, just like a drop of dishwashing liquid on the surface of a liquid - the consequences are difficult for us to imagine.

"The eternity of science lies in its unremitting pursuit. In terms of its capacity, science is inexhaustible; in terms of its goal, it is forever unattainable." Even in the exploration of the universe and interstellar travel, we will face many challenges, but it is these challenges that allow scientific researchers to move forward step by step and achieve new glory!

References:

She Huimin: "The Wonders of Physics in The Three-Body Problem"

Wu Yumou: "The Curvature Problem Inspired by the Curvature Drive of "The Three-Body Problem""

Zhu Jiyin and Luo Mei, "Self-made Curvature Spaceship from "The Three-Body Problem""

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Contributors: Southwest University Popular Science Space Station, Chongqing Physics Society, Beibei District Science and Technology Association

Audit expert: Zhang Qiaoming

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