Does string theory, in principle, answer why matter comes in chunks ?

[Spinnor]

Does string theory, in principle, answer why matter comes in "chunks"?

Does string theory, in principle, answer why matter comes in "chunks" of the same amount (say the mass of an electron or muon), and why the energy in the electromagnetic field of a given frequency also comes in a "chunks",
(E = hc/λ)? Or is this a "why" type question that has no answer.

Thanks for any help!

 

[mfb]

You don't need string theory for that, quantum field theory gives this naturally. If you go deeper and ask "why is quantum field theory so successful", there is no answer.

 

[Spinnor]

You don't need string theory for that, quantum field theory gives this naturally. If you go deeper and ask "why is quantum field theory so successful", there is no answer.

You say naturally, isn't mass a input in standard model (quantum field theory) where in string theory mass might be an output of the theory? Does quantum field theory say that there will be "chunks" just not the exact amount of the chunks? When we quantize a field are we saying (among other things) that there will be chunks?

Thanks for your help!

 

[mfb]

The values of the masses (the coupling strength to the Higgs field) are free parameters, but the fact that every elementary particle has a fixed mass is not.

Does quantum field theory say that there will be "chunks" just not the exact amount of the chunks?

Right.