Gravity inducing an anti-gravity effect

[pioneer]

I would like to begin this by first discussing this effect in terms of classical gravity and then move it to relativity. This will make it easier to see this very common gravity anomaly.

 

Here is the scenario. We are in space at zero gravity. I have a closed beaker full of liquid water. I take a pipet and place a bead of oil at the bottom of the glass. Because of zero gravity the system remains that way. Next, I will add gravity. The gravity will induce the phenomena called density and cause the bead of oil to move upward, away from the center of the gravity.

 

None of the other forces of nature, alone will cause this effect. Once we add gravity, gravity will make use of the other forces; EM force, to create an effect that has the bead of oil moving opposite the direction expected by the pull of gravity.

 

If we translate this to relativity, although the gravity well around our beaker should be pulling everything downward, the oil is moving up the well due to a displacement in the well.

 

My hunch has been that the expansion of the universe is similar to this oil effect, where matter can move up the space-time well when gravity is applied, due to displacement down the well. The effect is not anti-gravity but space-time displacement.

[Quetzalcoatl]

I've always found it quite ironic, that gravity causes buoyancy. Hot air balloons fly thanks to gravity.

Never thought about it the way you're suggesting, though.

[Farsight]

...My hunch has been that the expansion of the universe is similar to this oil effect, where matter can move up the space-time well when gravity is applied, due to displacement down the well. The effect is not anti-gravity but space-time displacement.

I'm afraid your hunch is wrong. There is no gravity in a homogeneous universe, but it still expands. Gravity didn't stop the early universe from expanding, it merely increases inhomogeneity within that expanding universe. Denser regions get denser, matter is attracted to matter, be it dust or galaxies. But the space between the matter continues to expand.