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QuantumDefect
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As the title implies, how does string theory describe the wave/particle duality of matter and the forces? How does it describe the double slit expirement? Thanks for the replies.
NeutronStar said:From what I can tell so far it doesn't. I've read Brian Greene's "Elegant Universe", I saw his video, and I am currently reading his book "The Fabric of the Cosmos". I haven't quite finished this most recent book yet.
selfAdjoint said:You don't have to go all the way to Bohm to believe that the "wave function" and the whole Hilbert space/operator formalism is a useful model, but not a fundamental assertion of quantum mechanics.
String theory is a theoretical framework in physics that attempts to reconcile the principles of general relativity and quantum mechanics. It proposes that the fundamental building blocks of the universe are not point-like particles, but rather tiny, vibrating strings.
According to string theory, the vibrations of these tiny strings determine the properties of particles. The different modes of vibration give rise to different particle properties, such as mass and charge. This duality arises because the strings can behave like particles in some situations and waves in others.
Unlike other theories, string theory does not attempt to explain the duality by considering particles and waves as separate entities. Instead, it proposes that all particles are made of strings, which naturally exhibit both particle-like and wave-like behavior.
Currently, there is no experimental evidence for string theory's predictions about the wave/particle duality. However, it is an active area of research, and scientists are working on ways to test the theory's predictions through experiments and observations.
If string theory is confirmed, it would have significant implications for our understanding of the fundamental nature of matter. It would suggest that all particles are ultimately made of the same underlying substance - strings - and that the different properties of particles arise from the vibrations of these strings. It would also potentially provide a framework for unifying all of the fundamental forces of nature.