Gravity: The explanation for quantum statistical effects?

In summary, the conversation discusses the struggles of formulating a theory of quantum gravity and the role of spacetime in quantum phenomena. The speaker suggests that spacetime itself may be the source of all quantum behavior and that this makes it difficult to describe it with a quantum theory. The concept of time is also mentioned as a key factor in understanding quantum gravity, and the current best description is AdS/CFT. The goal is to unify general relativity and string theory, which may shed light on the nature of spacetime.
  • #1
Schreiberdk
93
0
Hi PF

I was wondering about the problem of quantum gravity, and maybe the reason why we struggle so much with a formulation of quantum gravity is, that spacetime itself is the source to all quantum phenomena.

The evidence is, that with the standard model, we describe the quantum phenomena, except the gravitational quantum phenomena. Now the standard model is all the physics inside spacetime, but what about spacetime itself? Could it be, that it is spacetime that is causing all the quantum behaviour of particles, like wavefunctions etc., and that spacetime then does not have a quantum description, since it is the source of quantum phenomena, and thereby is deterministic in structure?

\Schreiber
 
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  • #2
Schreiber, we struggle to formulate a proper theory of quantum gravity because we don't yet understand a lot of the concepts, for instance, the concept of space has been very well developed, we even speculate that space itself may be emergent of some deeper phenomenon, but what about time? Einstein linked those two together however we don't even understand the basics of what time is besides some links to entropy. Currently the most complete description of QG that we have is AdS/CFT but even in that theory, we generally take static patches, defining regions of space relativistically (meaning with some notion of time) is a very difficult task, mathematically. Now if I understand correctly, what you've stated, spacetime is indeed the "playground" where all phenomenon occurs. The main objective of QG is to present a theory that can unify GR and a formulation of string theory, once that happens, spacetime description from GR can be taken as is. String theory does a decent job of that, and it is because of that reason we are able to speculate that space might be emergent of some deeper phenomenon.
 

1. What is quantum statistical effects?

Quantum statistical effects refer to the phenomenon observed in quantum systems where particles behave in a probabilistic manner, rather than following deterministic laws. This is due to the inherent uncertainty at the quantum level.

2. How does gravity explain quantum statistical effects?

Gravity is a fundamental force in the universe that affects the behavior of all particles, including those at the quantum level. The theory of general relativity, which describes gravity, incorporates the concept of space-time curvature, which influences the probabilistic behavior of particles in quantum systems.

3. Can gravity be described by quantum mechanics?

Currently, there is no complete theory that fully explains the nature of gravity using quantum mechanics. However, many scientists are working on theories such as quantum gravity, which attempt to merge the principles of quantum mechanics and gravity to provide a more complete understanding.

4. How does gravity affect the behavior of particles in a quantum system?

Gravity can cause particles in a quantum system to interact with each other in complex ways, leading to the observed probabilistic behavior. Additionally, the curvature of space-time caused by gravity can also influence the paths and interactions of particles at the quantum level.

5. Are there any experiments or evidence that support the connection between gravity and quantum statistical effects?

While there is no conclusive evidence yet, there have been several experiments that suggest a relationship between gravity and quantum statistical effects. One example is the phenomenon of quantum entanglement, where two particles separated by a large distance can still influence each other's behavior. This has been observed in gravitational systems, providing evidence for a connection between gravity and quantum effects.

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