Is Quantum Field Theory and General Relativity Theory mutually exclusive?

In summary, Quantum Field Theory (QFT) and General Relativity (GR) are two theories that describe different aspects of the universe - QFT explains the behavior of particles and their interactions, while GR explains the motion of massive objects in the universe. They are not mutually exclusive, as many physicists are working towards a unified theory of quantum gravity. However, they differ in their treatment of space and time, with QFT using continuous fields and GR using curved spacetime. While there are attempts to reconcile the two theories, there is currently no widely accepted theory. This reconciliation is important as it would provide a more complete understanding of the universe and could potentially lead to new discoveries in physics.
  • #1
sujoykroy
18
0
Does Quantum Field Theory and General Relativity Theory predict anything which is mutually exclusive? This question came up to me as i was thinking about why there was/is apparent rivalry/debate between the proponents of these two theories.

As far as i understood, Universe(or Multiverse) is made of fundamental particles of several kinds. The particles differs by properties like spin, mass, charge, color etc. Particles of different kind or same kind interact with each other in some ways. Particles can clump together or burst out from a clump based upon these interactions.

Quantum Field Theory tries to find out natural law governing these interactions. And General Relativity Theory attempts to build up natural law governing motion of clumps with respect to one another.

This way of thinking lead me to two mutually exclusive ideas. viz.

A) Motion of any particle-clump with respect to any other particle-clump involves interaction of some particles between the two clumps. I guess, this is QFT way of thinking and demands the presence of Graviton particle. This also makes GRT as one of many special cases of QFT.

OR

B) There exist motion of some particle-clump with respect to some other particle-clump which does not involve exchange of any particles among them. In this case, a particle-clump moves because of interaction of it's constituent particles within some confinement, which doesn't intersect the confinements of the other particle-clump. This makes motion of these clumps, in this special case, be governed by only geometrical law, a different point of view. I guess this is what GRT does. This makes GRT a space-time geometry theory not necessary but sufficient to predict motion of non-interactive clumps, and is not required when particle-clump touches or interacts with the reference clump, because then motion stops by defintion. In other words, if we find any case where GRT works, that would mean there is no exchange of particles among the participants. But, this way of thinking can be tested for validity. If there is a motion of particle-clumps that satisfies GRT, but involves exchange of particle among themselves, then this (B) idea will become invalid, making (A) valid.

But even though these two above ideas are mutually exclusive, they both make GRT a special case of QFT, although of different kind. This made me thinking that there is no confliction between QFT and GRT.

My knowledge is certainly limited, specially in String Theory and Loop Quantum Gravity. So, i don't know if my way of thinking is utterly absurd, hence i am asking help from masters to enlighten me or at least to give hint for that :)
 
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  • #2


I can assure you that there is no inherent rivalry or debate between Quantum Field Theory (QFT) and General Relativity Theory (GRT). Both theories are highly respected and widely accepted by the scientific community, and they have been successfully used to explain and predict a wide range of phenomena in the universe.

However, it is true that there are some areas where these two theories seem to be incompatible or mutually exclusive. One such area is the description of gravity at the quantum level. While GRT provides a very accurate description of gravity at large scales, it breaks down at the subatomic level where quantum effects become important. On the other hand, QFT is very successful in describing the behavior of particles at the quantum level, but it does not fully explain the nature of gravity.

This has led to ongoing research and attempts to unify these two theories into a single framework, such as String Theory and Loop Quantum Gravity. These theories attempt to reconcile the differences between QFT and GRT and provide a more complete understanding of the universe.

So, while there may be some areas where QFT and GRT seem to be mutually exclusive, the scientific community is actively working towards finding a unified theory that can encompass both and provide a more complete understanding of the universe. There is no inherent conflict between these theories, but rather a desire to further our understanding and bridge any gaps between them.
 

1. What is Quantum Field Theory and General Relativity Theory?

Quantum Field Theory (QFT) is a theoretical framework that combines quantum mechanics and special relativity to describe the behavior of particles and their interactions. General Relativity (GR) is a theory of gravity that explains the motion of massive objects in the universe.

2. Are Quantum Field Theory and General Relativity Theory mutually exclusive?

No, they are not mutually exclusive. In fact, many physicists are working towards a unified theory that combines both QFT and GR, known as quantum gravity. However, the two theories have different domains of applicability and cannot be used to describe all phenomena.

3. How does Quantum Field Theory and General Relativity Theory differ?

One of the main differences between QFT and GR is their treatment of space and time. In QFT, space and time are continuous and described by fields, while in GR, they are curved and described by the curvature of spacetime. Additionally, QFT deals with the microscopic world of particles, while GR describes the macroscopic world of gravity.

4. Can Quantum Field Theory and General Relativity Theory be reconciled?

As mentioned before, many physicists are working towards a theory that unifies QFT and GR. However, this is still an ongoing area of research and there is no widely accepted theory at the moment. Some approaches, such as string theory, attempt to reconcile the two theories, but there is still much debate and uncertainty.

5. Why is it important to reconcile Quantum Field Theory and General Relativity Theory?

Reconciling QFT and GR is important because it would provide a more complete and unified understanding of the universe. It would allow us to better understand phenomena that occur at both the microscopic and macroscopic levels, such as the behavior of particles in the presence of strong gravitational fields. It could also potentially lead to new insights and discoveries in physics.

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