Why Do We Only Experience Four Dimensions?

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter echolocator
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Strings Universe
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the question of why we experience only four dimensions in our universe, particularly in the context of string theory and the nature of dimensions. Participants explore theoretical implications, physical interpretations, and mathematical reasoning related to dimensions beyond the familiar three spatial dimensions and time.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question why, if strings vibrate in multiple dimensions, we do not experience those dimensions in our four-dimensional spacetime.
  • One participant suggests that the universe is composed of a web of strings that restricts particle movement to certain directions, implying a structure that allows for only limited dimensional travel.
  • Another participant proposes that the mathematical framework of string theory indicates the existence of ten dimensions, but questions how this relates to our perception of dimensions.
  • A participant elaborates on the concept of points and distances in string theory, arguing that the separation between points leads to the emergence of additional dimensions, suggesting a logic that aligns with string theory's predictions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints on the nature of dimensions and their implications in string theory. There is no consensus on the reasons for our four-dimensional experience or the interpretation of additional dimensions, indicating ongoing debate and exploration of the topic.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes speculative reasoning about the physical nature of dimensions and the implications of string theory, with participants relying on different interpretations and assumptions about dimensionality and the structure of space.

echolocator
[SOLVED] Strings: 1 Universe: 0

If you enjoy potentially stupid questions, read on.

If strings vibrate in x dimensions and if all matter is made of strings, then why do we not share those dimensions? Why does the universe remain in four-dimensional spacetime?

Chances are I'm missing the point completely but confirmation of that would be useful nonetheless...
 
Space news on Phys.org
Originally posted by echolocator
If you enjoy potentially stupid questions, read on.

If strings vibrate in x dimensions and if all matter is made of strings, then why do we not share those dimensions? Why does the universe remain in four-dimensional spacetime?

Chances are I'm missing the point completely but confirmation of that would be useful nonetheless...

Are you asking why we never experience the action of the other spatial dimensions?
 
The universe, space itself, has to be physically made of something. Think of the universe as being made of something physical and solid, like real strings that are three-dimensional, and we are in a web of strings. Think about traveling through that space, and our bodies are a bunch of particles and a lot of nothing. The particles that make us up only travel along the web of strings. Strings are like a real web in space.

But we know strings are only two-dimensional. The third dimension of a string, which gives it tension and strength, and makes it work is the Vacuum. So we have something that appears to be made of nothing. Space is like the matter of our body: it is points and a lot of nothing. Imagine a space of actual strings that are formed in three dimensions, with two dimensions of points and one dimension of vacuum. Strings are real and three dimensional, but one dimension is the vacuum, which is nothing, so it looks likes space. But it is a web of strings. When the particles that make your body travel along the strings that make up space, your particles, as it turns out, can only go in 7 directions. There are about 20 other secondary directions they can go in if your particles skip points and go between points.

You can see matter particles going in these directions and avoiding certain directions in particle colliders. Particle collisions never scatter in symmetrical fans, like an explosion in the macro world, but scatter in jets of particles following lines of underlying dimension. The seven extra dimensions of string theory are the underlying structure that space itself is made from, a structure that only allows travel in 7 easy directions and about 20 secondary directions.
 
Last edited:
A line is a series of points laid down side-by-side. If we construct a line or flat surface out of points, in other words if we lay points side-by-side until we have line or flat surface, but there is no distance between the points that we lay down, we never get off the first point.

There has to be a distance between the points, which is the amazing discovery of string theory. It says points have distance between them. They are not points, but really little strings. If you lay little strings down, you can construct a line. But the math of string theory tells us that there are ten dimensions.

If we use little strings to create a flat surface, like, you make a table top out of triangular tiles, each triangular tile represents three strings, then you discover if you travel from tile to tile or point to point you can only travel in three directions! If you can only go from point to point in three directions, then, these three directions become three underlying dimensions on the two-dimensional flat surface, according to my logic. This flat surface, then, really has five dimensions.

If we construct a cube out of points, which have separation, then we discover we can only go in seven directions when we go from point to point in the three-dimensional space. These seven limited directions become seven dimensions according to my logic. Seven extra dimensions gives us a total of ten dimensions, and the number of extra dimensions is in agreement with string theory, so my logic for why the underlying directions are dimensions could be right.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
4K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
3K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
4K
  • · Replies 25 ·
Replies
25
Views
4K
Replies
21
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
6K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K