String Theory Mathematics

saikat.prabhakar

16th May 2011 - 07:10 AM

Most of us are now aware of the "String Theory" being the most prominent to define the "Theory of Everything". The explanation in terms of strings is definitely catching up. But the theory involving the use of 11 dimensions and being curled up in space is most baffling.

When Newton was to explain his laws, he invented calculas. Looking now, we can say that it was still easier to perceive things in the fourth dimension i.e. "time" to define the rate of doing stuff. But when it comes to String Theory , 11 dimensions looks seemingly lot. Mathmaticians around the world are already working on this stuff. But what is difficult to understand as a layman is how can we perceive those extra dimensions ?

Any comments ?

rpenner

16th May 2011 - 03:18 PM

You don't need to perceive them. You need to be able to describe them mathematically and calculate what the implications for the dimensions, matter and experiments which we can perceive.

saikat.prabhakar

17th May 2011 - 06:42 AM

@rpenner : Ok let me put it this way...what can be possibly measure by these dimensions if not perceive ??

Ewol

25th May 2011 - 09:49 AM

What causes these strings to vibrate in the manner they are supposed to?

saikat.prabhakar

27th May 2011 - 06:00 PM

QUOTE (Ewol+May 25 2011, 09:49 AM)

What causes these strings to vibrate in the manner they are supposed to?

The theory has been proposed to actually fall in sync with the duality at quantum level. Since all elementary particles are believed to have wave-like properties they are believed to be vibrating at certain frequencies.

Now as per string theory, if we can visualise everything in the form of strings, we would do good to quantum physics by ruling out the proposition of so many elementary particles. Instead everything shall be strings vibrating at different frequencies to explain the differing nature.

So to answer your question, the theory actually is based upon the fact that we have these so-called "strings" and "they vibrate". Why they do so? Well because if they don't -- theory goes kaput..no vibrations...no energy...a static universe

Beer w/Straw

27th May 2011 - 07:26 PM

And Niels Bohr couldn't see an atom could he?

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