Gravity at a microscopic level

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In summary, gravity at a microscopic level is the force that exists between all objects with mass. It is described by the theory of general relativity and is responsible for the attraction between particles on a subatomic level. While the effects of gravity are typically observed on a large scale, such as the gravitational pull of planets and stars, it also plays a crucial role in the behavior of particles at a microscopic level. This includes the formation of subatomic particles and the structure of atoms. Despite its small scale, gravity is an essential force in the universe and continues to be a subject of study and exploration in the field of physics.
  • #1
math_04
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Hi all,

I was wondering what effect does gravity have on a subatomic particle? I know that physicists have been searching for a theory that combines quantum mechanics and gravity but at a smaller scale, I am guessing gravity has a tiny non zero force?

If the answer is not known, could someone tell me what ongoing theories speculate about the nature of gravity at such small scales?
 
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  • #2
Well the most famous is of course string theory, and if you have not heard anything about candidates for gravity at quantum level this is nice introduction: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_gravity

You might also want to check out the forum beneath this one "Beyond the Standard Model", there might be similar questions asked there. Also try the search tool on this forum :-)
 
  • #3
People have measured the gravitational attraction of single neutrons.
 
  • #4
math_04 said:
Hi all,

I was wondering what effect does gravity have on a subatomic particle? I know that physicists have been searching for a theory that combines quantum mechanics and gravity but at a smaller scale, I am guessing gravity has a tiny non zero force?

The first successful attempt at detection are referred to as the COW experiments (Collera, Overhauser , and Werner- 1975) and used neutron interferometry to show that earth"s gravitational potential changes the phase of the wavefunction of neutrons.

It is more technically referred to as gravitationally induced quantum interference, and shows that both h and G are determinants of the neutron's behavior.
Some have used this to demonstrate microscopic equivalence Princ. but I think the implications are deeper.
It opened up some interesting areas of research.


More recent "COW" Type exper...http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TVH-4M04F1T-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=a0b29ba6b79fd82e3b3c2fa17fcfaed2

Creator
 
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  • #5
It would be interesting to find out exactly how it would work
 
  • #6


Mr. Paradox said:
It would be interesting to find out exactly how it would work

With respect to COW...In this article..Page 214- 215... For a particle in the Earth's rotating/accelerating frame the neutron's Lagrangian, Hamiltonian, Eqns. of motion, and phase shift are developed.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Jo...X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA214,M1

In other more recent exper., 'confined' neutrons falling in Earth's g field are shown to be unable to fall continuously, but must take quantum jumps, and are not found at certain heights...fitting QM expectations.

see: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v415/n6869/full/415297a.html

Creator

P.S. I think this thread should be moved to the quantum or gravitational physics section.
 
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  • #7
Related, unresolved issues are: Does gravity obey the inverse square law at sub atomic scales? Does gravity exist at sub Planck length scales??
 
  • #8
Vanadium 50 said:
People have measured the gravitational attraction of single neutrons.

Do you mean one neutron being attracted by the earth, or the mutual gravitation between a pair of individual neutrons?
 
  • #9
One neutron and the earth.
 

1. How does gravity work at a microscopic level?

At a microscopic level, gravity is described by the theory of general relativity. According to this theory, gravity is the curvature of spacetime caused by the presence of mass or energy. This curvature affects the motion of objects, causing them to move towards each other.

2. Is gravity the same at a microscopic level as it is at a macroscopic level?

Yes, gravity behaves the same way at all levels. However, at a microscopic level, the effects of gravity are often negligible compared to other forces such as electromagnetism and strong and weak nuclear forces. This is why we do not commonly observe the effects of gravity on a microscopic scale.

3. Can gravity be observed at a microscopic level?

Gravity can be observed at a microscopic level, but it is not easy to do so. The effects of gravity are very small on a microscopic scale and can be overshadowed by other forces. Scientists have been able to observe the effects of gravity on small particles using highly sensitive equipment and precise experiments.

4. How does gravity affect particles at the subatomic level?

At the subatomic level, gravity can affect the motion of particles in a similar way to how it affects larger objects. However, since subatomic particles have very little mass, the effects of gravity are much weaker. Additionally, the principles of quantum mechanics also come into play at this level, making the behavior of particles more complex.

5. Can gravity be explained by the laws of quantum mechanics?

Currently, gravity and the laws of quantum mechanics are not fully compatible. Scientists are still working on developing a theory that can explain the behavior of gravity at a microscopic level using the principles of quantum mechanics. This is known as the theory of quantum gravity, and it is an area of ongoing research and debate in the scientific community.

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