France Cover

France Cover
Post Marke ; 06.12.2007 Bordeux

05.10.2007 Space Conquest 1957-2007
Face Value ; 0,85€

Space is the property of the universe in which matter is physically extended and objects have positions relative to one another.In classical mechanics, space was originally treated as being separate from time and is thought of as one of the few fundamental physical quantities. In Isaac Newton's view space was absolute, and held that it exists permanently and independently of whether there is any matter in the space or moving through it.In mathematics spaces with different geometries and numbers of dimensions are described, and this is used in modern physics where both space and time are to be thought of as part of the boundless four-dimensional continuum known as spacetime. From the experimental support for Albert Einstein's theory of relativity scientists now find that space and time cannot be entirely separated. In addition, space is found to have physical properties including intrinsic curvature which varies according to mass distribution. Therefore it was Einstein's view that space and matter cannot be entirely separated either.Among physicists and philosophers there is disagreement regarding whether space is itself an entity, or is part of a conceptual framework.