From: utzoo!decvax!duke!harpo!ihps3!ihnss!knudsen
Newsgroups: net.misc
Title: Space has physical properties
Article-I.D.: ihnss.127
Posted: Fri Aug  6 10:44:32 1982
Received: Sun Aug  8 08:06:08 1982


I'm not sure whether empty space is "physically real" or not, BUT:
it does have two well-known, precisely measured qualities:
"mu", the magnetic permitivity of free space, and
"epsilon" its electrostatic dielectric constant (which determines
the capacitance between two metal plates in air, or more ideally
in a vacuum).
Both these natural constants show up in Maxwell's equations, I think.
Now, of course, the philosophical debate:  Are these constants
properties that "belong" to space itself, or do they just "belong"
to our universe, along with the speed of light and Planck's constant,
etc?  For that matter, does speed of light "belong" to space
(Albert E. didn't hear me say that).
--mike knudsen ihnss!knudsen