Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

DrunkenOnzo t1_j1wgmtd wrote

Reply to comment by ocelot08 in ELI5: How is that Pantone colors don't have direct RGB counterparts? by ExternalUserError

A bit different for distances. With distances there is a universal smallest possible distance that all other standards can be derived from. In this case 6.25 × 10^32 planck lengths = 1cm.

0

Giants_Orbiting t1_j1y7kf6 wrote

eli5, how could there possibly be a smallest possible distance? why couldn't you have half a planck?

(i've heard about this planck length before, not in any way trying to say you're wrong, it just seems so unintuitive to me that *distance* could be finitely divisible.)

1

DrunkenOnzo t1_j1zc26t wrote

I’m not sure that exists? Maybe someone smarter than me can help out here; I almost failed QED in grad school LOL. But iirc we’d need a better understanding of quantum gravity. As my old professor would say “shit gets real weird at that scale”

1

Giants_Orbiting t1_j20avqs wrote

ah, I just misunderstood "universal smallest possible distance"

1

DrunkenOnzo t1_j20pjrq wrote

It's the smallest possible length at which length can be defined. I brought it up originally because it's a length derived from universal constants; so even if we met aliens who have no understanding of how we measure, or do math, we will be able to translate our distances and their distances using planck-lengths. 1 miles = ______ planck lengths. 1 Blorb = ______ Plancklengths, so you can convert blorbs to miles without ever taking out a tape measure.

1