Relativity Theory and Quantum Theory

**Gear300** · Jun29-09, 01:43 AM

Does the reason for the incompatibility between Relativity Theory and Quantum Theory lie in how Relativistic equations for the space-time manifolds taken on a differential scale differ from Quantum Theory's equations (I don't even know if they differ or if there are such equations...I'm only assuming)?

Edit: by any chance...am I just speaking nonsense? I only came across this question when reading on manifolds and assumed that Relativity Theory should compare to Quantum theory if space-time was zoomed to a differential scale.

**The riddler** · Jul1-09, 02:55 AM

Gear, i think this question might do better in a different area like relativity or quantum theory.

**Gear300** · Jul1-09, 04:48 AM

I guess I'll re-post...thanks for the suggestion.

**Janus** · Jul1-09, 09:45 AM

I moved this thread to S and GR, and deleted the other thread which had no replies yet.

**atyy** · Jul1-09, 10:37 AM

There is no incompatibility between relativity and quantum theory. The problem is that there are many ways of getting the compatibility, and we don't know which one is correct.
http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0311082
http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9512024

**Gear300** · Jul1-09, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by atyy

There is no incompatibility between relativity and quantum theory. The problem is that there are many ways of getting the compatibility, and we don't know which one is correct.
http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0311082
http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9512024

I see...so that is the case.

An additional question. I haven't studied Relativity in much depth, but by what I know, gravity in Relativity would be due to space-time curvature. I've also heard of work dealing with a particle of gravity (graviton), which seems to appear in more that than one theory...how would the concept of a particle fit in with space-time curvature?

**mathman** · Jul1-09, 07:35 PM

There is one situation where gen. rel. and quantum theory have to apply at the same time, i.e. inside a black hole. Unfortunately they are incompatible there.

**Gear300** · Jul1-09, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by mathman

There is one situation where gen. rel. and quantum theory have to apply at the same time, i.e. inside a black hole. Unfortunately they are incompatible there.

Oh, I see...would the reason be because of what was mentioned in my opening post? Also, how would a particle of gravity relate to space-time curvature?