Theory Definition and 1000 Threads

  1. M

    Number Theory Can anyone recommend me a textbook for Number Theory (Undergraduate)?

    So far, I've taken Ordinary Differential Equations and Introduction to Mathematical Proof. My plan is to take "Introduction To Number Theory" for next semester in Spring 2022. But my professor told me that she won't use a textbook for this class. I was wondering what are some of the good...
  2. StenEdeback

    Why must the second term on the right-hand side vanish in string theory?

    I am doing private studies in string theory and am reading "A first course in string theory" by Barton Zwiebach. Below equation 6.52 the author says "Since the second term on the right-hand side must vanish...". I do not understand why this term must vanish, and I would be grateful for an...
  3. M

    I How are good quantum numbers related to perturbation theory?

    Hello folks, I am currently studying from Griffiths' Introduction to Quantum Mechanics and I've got a doubt about good quantum numbers that the text has been unable to solve. As I understand it, good quantum numbers are the eigenvalues of the eigenvectors of an operator O that remain...
  4. M

    Can anyone please check my work of this proof? (Number Theory)

    This is my work.
  5. M

    Can anyone please check my proof for this number theory problem?

    Please view the picture of my work which I've uploaded.
  6. ooleonardoo

    Perturbation Theory: Calculating 1st-Order Correction

    Of course, this question consisted of two parts. In the first part, we needed to calculate the first-order correction. It was easy. In all the books on quantum mechanics I saw, only first-order examples have been solved. So I really do not know how to solve it. Please explain the solution method...
  7. B

    Admissions Including High Energy Theory as a field of interest in my SOP?

    Hi, I'm a current senior in college, and am applying to grad. schools for fall 2022. I'm interested in high energy theory, and I have had some research experience in ads/cft correspondence, kaluza-klein theory, computational particle physics. However, I'm not certain as to which particular topic...
  8. Leo Liu

    I (Elementary number theory) Understanding congruence and modulus

    In this question, how does the step marked with 1 become the step marked with 2? I can see that the transitivity property of congruence is used, but I don’t know what exactly is going on here. Can someone please explain? Also at which step is Congruence Add and Multiply used? Thanks...
  9. S

    I Universal Block Theory: Free Will

    Mostly about free will
  10. T

    What is Baryon Decuplet in Physics?

    Hello sir What is baryton decuplet
  11. jaumzaum

    I Color Theory - What does blue + yellow make?

    Hello! PS. This is not a Homework question, I am asking about a concept. I am a Physics teacher from Brazil and last week one of the biggest Engineer universities here applied its entrance exam. However, a lot of teachers (including me) don't agree with one of the answers. Can you guys help...
  12. dRic2

    Time dependent perturbation theory (Berry phase)

    If I plug the solution into the Schrodinger equation I get $$(i \hbar \partial_t - H)\ket{\psi} = 0$$ Since I know that the zeroth-order expansion is lambda is already a solution I think this is equal to $$(i \hbar \partial_t - H)e^{i\phi} e^{-i\gamma}\ket{\delta n} = 0$$ If now I carry on with...
  13. Spathi

    I The “philosophical cornerstone” of the Moller-Plesset perturbation theory

    In quantum chemistry, the MP rows (MP2, MP3, MP4, etc) can converge both quickly and slowly, and for some cases (e.g. CeI4 molecule) they even diverge instead of converging. My question is quite philosophic: what is the “mathematical cornerstone”, or “philosophical cornerstone” of the...
  14. vanhees71

    A Is gravity simply an interaction in the gauge theory of gravity?

    Moderator's note: Spin off from previous thread due to advanced nature of topic. There is classical field theory too, and GR is a relativistic classical field theory of the gravitational interaction. It's ironic that you fight for a geometrical-interpretation-only point of view and at the same...
  15. G

    I Theory of fluctuations in disordered systems

    I'm reading the https://www.phys.uniroma1.it/fisica/sites/default/files/DOTT_FISICA/MENU/03DOTTORANDI/TesiFin26/Urbani.pdf at paragrph 4.6.2 "The interaction term". They write a right hand side: < f(na,nb) f(nc,nd) f(ne,nf) > and they want to use a symmetry, for example they assume that...
  16. BadgerBadger92

    Non Mathematical Quantum Field Theory Books?

    Are there any QFT books that use little to no math? If there is a little math that is okay. I don't know much about math. I am looking for good explanations on how it works without math. Any help would be great!
  17. G

    I Is GHG Theory/GW in conflict with Kinetic Theory of Gases?

    Hi, Folks,...new around here. Please excuse my naivete, but-- I have a problem with the physics behind GHG Theory/GW. Most discussions seem to center around absorbtion/transmission spectra of gases, their correlation with temperature, ala' Black Box radiation and such, and the fact that GHG...
  18. F

    I Why are free parameters bad for a theory?

    It is often said that one of the drawbacks of the standard model is that it has many free parameters. My question is two-fold: What exactly is a free parameter? My understanding is that the free parameters of a model/theory are the ones that cannot be predicted by the theory and need to be...
  19. J

    A Quantum Field theory vs. many-body Quantum Mechanics

    A lot of people say that Quantum Field theory (QFT) an Quantum Mechanics (QM) are equivalent. Yet, I've found others who dispute these claims. Among the counter-arguments (which I admittedly do not have the expertise to pick apart and check their validity in full) are the following: 1) While QFT...
  20. J

    A Concept of wavefunction and particle within Quantum Field Theory

    -1st: Could someone give me some insight on what a ket-state refers to when dealing with a field? To my understand it tells us the probability amplitude of having each excitation at any spacetime point, but I don't know if this is accurate. Also, we solve the free field equation not for this...
  21. T

    A Quantum theory without classical time: quantum gravity and unification

    It came to my attention yesterday this, from my ignorant point of view, amazing paper that describes what it looks as another Theory of Everything: https://arxiv.org/abs/2110.02062 If I didnt understand incorrectly, from first principles / a pre quantum theory (Trace Dynamics, 8D octonionic...
  22. B

    Mathematics to understand Quantum Scattering Theory

    Homework Statement:: Mathematics to understand Quantum Scattering Theory Relevant Equations:: Suitable math book to understand Quantum Scattering Theory I need to study Scattering theory from Introduction to Quantum Mechanics by David Griffith. But I think I need to study mathematics first...
  23. TheHeraclitus

    B Objective-collapse theory, collapse for large objects

    Let's say we have a big object like chair. According to Objective-collapse theory, is the wave of the chair collapsing and spreading out so fast we see it in one definite position or, does the chair collapse and it remains in this collapsed state longer than microscopic objects like atoms?
  24. Viona

    Time-dependent Perturbation Theory

    I was reading in the Book: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics by David J. Griffiths. In chapter Time-Dependent Perturbation Theory, Section 9.12. I could not understand that why he put the first order correction ca(1)(t)=1 while it equals a constant.
  25. T

    A QFT with vanishing vacuum expectation value and perturbation theory

    In This wikipedia article is said: "If the quantum field theory can be accurately described through perturbation theory, then the properties of the vacuum are analogous to the properties of the ground state of a quantum mechanical harmonic oscillator, or more accurately, the ground state of a...
  26. S

    A Any model or theory in physics akin to "Law without law"?

    When trying to explain from where did all the laws come from, John Wheeler proposed the anaphorism of "Law without law". He proposed that at the "beginning" there were no laws whatsoever, only pure chaos, and that they emerged from randomness and chaos when our universe was created. In his own...
  27. topsquark

    Quantum Looking for a good String Theory text

    (Sorry about writing a book! But I felt more information was the better mistake.) Okay, here's the deal. I have been teaching myself Physics and Math beyond my MS in QFT. I have been doing this for the last 20 or so years and I've gotten reasonably decent at it but String Theory is a bit...
  28. DaTario

    I A problem with a figure related to band theory

    Hi, All. In searching for images related to the introduction of band theory in solid sate physics I found this one: I would like to ask you if I am correct in thinking the increase in the number of splittings (in b) is misleading to students. Thank you all DaTario
  29. Thytanium

    A Radial Excess Calc: GR, 4πGρ & R00

    Which is the mathematical procedure to obtain ##\delta r = \frac{GM}{3c^2}## from ##\nabla^2 V = R_{00} = 4\pi G\rho## where ##\nabla^2 V## is volume contraction of a spherical mass of density ##\rho## and ##R_{00}## is the 00 component of Ricci tensor ##R_{ij}##?
  30. M

    Game theory: competitive auction for the money in a chest

    Hi, I am back yet again with another problem I was reading the following question and attempting it. It was an interview problem, so it isn't technically homework, but I don't know where else to post it. I think there are elements of game theory involved, but I have no academic background in...
  31. TheHeraclitus

    I String theory in 4 dimensions?

    Non-critical string theory, on Wikipedia it says: Has it been experimentally disproven or are other reasons for its apparent obscurity?
  32. M

    Game theory: dice game to aim for sum no greater than 9

    Hi, I was attempting the following question and would appreciate any insight on how others would approach this game theory/probability-type question. Question: You have been chosen to play a game involving a 6-sided die. You get to roll the die once, see the result, and then may choose to...
  33. TheHeraclitus

    I Is Supersymmetry required by String theory?

    From what I understood Supersymmetry means there are more particles than we currently know about and they are predicted by (some/all, I do not know) versions of String theory. Is it so important to String theory or can it work without SUSY? Thank you!
  34. TheHeraclitus

    I Bohmian mechanics and String theory

    Is it easy to combine them or impossible? Is there a tension due to the non-locality found in Bohmian mechanics? Thank you!
  35. Leo Liu

    Discussing Insurance, Risk Tolerance and Game Theory

    The title is my question, and this post is meant to be a place for discussions. I think it is somewhat related to game theory and microeconomics, but I am not sure how to accurately categorize it. Let me give you an example. Let us suppose that Mr. Goose, an ideal person with a national average...
  36. E

    A Some basic questions about effective field theory (EFT)

    I had been studying this topic from various textbooks and review articles and I am confused about some terminologies and concepts. The question I have typed in this PDF. [Mentor Note -- Added screenshot of PDF contents]
  37. S

    Nobel laureates for and against string theory?

    According to Michio Kaku, Nobel laureates have taken both sides towards string theory since some of them accept it and some of them reject it, as he says here (https://www.snowboundbooks.com/book/9780385542746): “Kaku also explains the intense controversy swirling around this theory, with...
  38. H

    A Is ADS Theory a Quantum Theory? Hawking's Bet and the ADS/CFT Equivalence

    I read that he admitter having lost his bet with Preskill when he discovered the ADS/CFT equivalence. I can understand that because CFT is a quantum theory in which evolution is unitary (but there is the problem of measurements). so the black holes can be described with unitary tools. On...
  39. A

    I References for Hamiltonian field theory and Dirac Brackets

    I'm looking for complete and detailed references on constrained Hamiltonian systems and Dirac brackets. While my main interest is electrodynamics, I would prefer a complete exposition of the theory from the ground up. So far, my knowledge about the topic comes from books in QFT, like Weinberg...
  40. P

    A Is wave-matter duality a proven theory?

    The observed diffraction patterns in slit experiments are held up as proof of wave-particle duality. But wave theory diffraction (borrowed from optics - Kirchoff's Laws, Fresenel & Fraunhofer diffraction) don't quite fit the experimental results. There is always some tinkering to get theory to...
  41. ShellWillis

    I What Makes the Next Generation of Set Theory So Intriguing?

    https://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/~mhe/papers/omniscient-journal-revised.pdf Might be my favorite article I’ve ever came across I would like to see some interpretations on it to broaden my currently very narrow point of view… Have fun! -oliver
  42. Hallucinogen

    I Common features of set theory and wave functions?

    I would like to know if any of you think there's any sort of connection, analogy, or common features between, sets in set theory and wave functions in QT? Wave functions lack trajectories, so do sets. Wave functions also distribute over areas, as sets can do. To my understanding, wave...
  43. A

    I Perturbation theory with two parameters?

    Hello, I am looking for a reference which describe perturbation theory with two parameters instead of one. So far, I did not find anything on the topic. It might have a specific name and I am using the wrong keywords. Any help is appreciated. To be clear, I mean I have ##H =...
  44. samantha_allen

    Courses Should I take a group theory course before QFT?

    I know that studying QFT requires understanding Lie Groups and infinitesimal generators as they correspond to symmetry transformations. I want to study or take a course (offered by my university) in QFT in the coming academic year and I have the option to take a abstract algebra course offered...
  45. D

    I Morse Theory & Lagrangian Mechanics: Is There a Connection?

    I read somewhere that Morse originally applied his theory to the calculus of variations. I'm wondering, is this application useful in physics and mechanics, like maybe it sheds light on lagrangian mechanics? Does anyone know?
  46. rudransh verma

    What is a theory and how does it relate to the universe?

    I was reading brief history of time by hawking and there I stuck on this line “A theory is a model of universe or a restricted part of it and a set of rules that relate quantities in the model to observations we make.” What is it saying? Please elaborate. What are rules and quantities ? Also...
  47. Huzaifa

    B Understanding Galileo's Theory of Acceleration

    I am not able to understand the following paragraph from my Physics textbook; "The velocity of an object, in general, changes during its course of motion. Should it be described as the rate of change in velocity with distance or with time? This was a problem even in Galileo's time. It was first...
  48. pinball1970

    Critical thinking skills and belief in conspiracy theory

    This is the article. This is not the usual sort of study I read but given the last 16 months, I thought I would post and see what pf guys thought of the method and conclusions. The line of best fit in the results seemed a bit random to me but let's see what you make of it...
  49. M

    A MOND Theory Primer: Stacy McGaugh's Research Program Explored

    The astronomer Stacy McGaugh has become the most prominent public promoter of MOND (modified Newtonian dynamics) in recent years, on the grounds that it makes many successful predictions, yet according to the standard "LambdaCDM" (dark energy plus cold dark matter) paradigm, there's no reason it...
  50. B

    Sudoku solver by graph coloring theory

    Hello everybody! I have to implement a sudoku solver in C ++ taking advantage by graph coloring theory, where each number to insert is a color of the associated graph node. In particular I would like to use the Welsh-Powell algorithm. I find myself in trouble starting with this project and I...
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