Strings as particles. Basic question.

In summary, particles in the standard model are not made of strings but their wave functions are made of string vibrations. The number of strings in each particle is unknown as they cannot be seen, but theories suggest that each particle comes from one string which can generate multiple particles.
  • #1
Mean-Hippy
24
0
How small are those strings anyway ? Brian Green says in his book that they are a lot smaller than the particules we are used to deal with so, I mean, Is a quark the expression of one string or many, how many "actual" strings in a electron, a gluons etc ? Or is my conception ( yet again ! ) flawed ?

:uhh:
 
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  • #2
It's been my understanding that quarks (and all other particles) are made up of strings. But then again, I'm NOT a physics nerd :biggrin: so an answer from one of them might be more meaningful! :wink: I don't think we know how many there are in each of them because we cannot see them! We can't count what we can't see. We can only theorize that they are there (mathmatically). (Right guys?? Good grief! Am I finally getting the hang of this? :biggrin: :)
 
  • #3
Yeah, I ve fidured the basic of the facts that the elementary particle are strings but I am trying to understand if 1 particule = 1 string ?



To toss my brain around, :rofl: String physics over vodka anyday !
 
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  • #4
The particles of the standard model would not be "made of strings", rather their wave functions (they all have 'em) are made of vibrations of strings. All the constant talk about particles obscures the fact that particles are a derivative concept. There's a reason the standard model is called a quantum FIELD theory, not a quantum particle theory.

In some of the proposed models for getting known particles out of string physics you have vibrating strings with their ends stuck to branes. In order to get the interlocking properties of the particles that the standard model specifies, they have to have intersecting branes, one set of branes generates the SU(3) properties and another the SU(2) properties, and the strings begin on one set and end on another. The branes themselves carry charges that generate the properties. So then the strings vibrate and some of the vibrations wind up as the wave functions of some of the particles. I believe each particle comes from only one string, but one string can generate more than one particle.
 

1. What are "strings" in the context of particle physics?

Strings are theoretical objects that are proposed to be the fundamental building blocks of the universe. They are one-dimensional objects, similar to a string, that vibrate at different frequencies and give rise to all the particles and forces in the universe.

2. How do strings differ from traditional particles?

Unlike traditional particles, which are considered to be point-like objects with no internal structure, strings are one-dimensional objects with a finite length and can vibrate at different frequencies. This leads to the idea that all particles are actually different vibrational modes of a string.

3. What is the significance of strings in particle physics?

Strings are significant because they offer a possible solution to the problem of unifying the four fundamental forces in the universe (gravity, electromagnetism, strong nuclear force, and weak nuclear force). They also provide a potential explanation for the properties of particles and their interactions.

4. Is there any evidence for the existence of strings?

At this time, there is no direct evidence for the existence of strings. However, some mathematical and theoretical calculations have shown that string theory can potentially resolve some long-standing problems in physics, such as the incompatibility between quantum mechanics and general relativity.

5. How are strings being studied and tested by scientists?

Since strings are currently a theoretical concept, they cannot be directly observed or tested. However, scientists are using mathematical models and theories to make predictions about the behavior of strings and how they may manifest in experiments. Some experiments, such as those at the Large Hadron Collider, may be able to indirectly test aspects of string theory.

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