Can the metric expansion of space theoretically be exploited to do work?

Asked Feb 10 '20 at 17:59

Active Feb 10 '20 at 17:59

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Other questions tackle why space doesn't expand matter, and I've read their respective top answers, but I'm interested in something a little different.

Let's say I set up two masses that are 1 Mpc apart and put a stretchy filament between them. If:

the metric expansion of space is happening, and
as other answers on this site suggest, matter itself is not expanding because that expansion is being counteracted by other stronger forces like electromagnetism, then

then is it correct that these objects are moving apart from each other without growing in size?

And if so, does that mean that the filament we placed between them is storing energy that can be exploited to do useful work?

asked Feb 10 '20 at 17:59

John Feminella

1

Theoretically it should work. I endorse adding a "filament" clause to the $4.8 Trillion 2020 Budget and commissioning the ingenious Iowans for the daunting task of hitching the "filament". – MadMax Feb 10 '20 at 18:19
Related: Feynman’s sticky bead argument shows that energy can be extracted from metric changes. – G. Smith Feb 10 '20 at 18:28

Can the metric expansion of space theoretically be exploited to do work?

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