What Causes Vibrations in String Theory?

[tooDumb4Math]

I hope this not a dumb question. In t.v. programs I see about String Theory there is something vibrating or oscillating. What's vibrating or oscillating I don't know, but what is causing the vibration or oscillation.

 

[madmike159]

I'm not sure and it is just a theory but it think in the theory that everything you see is made up of vibrating strings. So different types of Quarks would be strings vibrating in different ways giving them different properties. I don't think this has been proved and I don't think everyone agrees with it. Someone else might be able to explain it in better detail.

 

[robertm]

You really shouldn't be asking this question. I think that it is wonderful that you have peaked an interest in physics from national TV programing, however, theories such as string theory and really any principles of physics, proven or not, can not be understood to any degree with a television and a question on a forum. I am by no means trying to stifle your interest. I am only suggesting that if you are truly fascinated and want to gain a deeper understanding of the universe, you must start with the basics.

It is like attempting to read musical notation, when all you know how to do is read guitar tabs.

The foundations of knowledge must be in place if you want to truly KNOW something as far out as string theory, or as seemingly simple as Newtonian physics.

But anyway here's a link to get you started so you don't have to wait 15 or 20 years:http://www.superstringtheory.com/"

 

[Celunas]

I've heard (also on a TV show) that it's about energy vibrating.

But personnally I prefer not to care and just think that the string theory physicists just handle mathematical descriptions of some sort of multi-dimensional oscillation that seems to be able to describe some physical reality (not much yet, though), without caring about what these mathematical expressions really describe.

It's like the equation of Schrodinger in quantum physics, describing particles with some sort of wave function. As of what I understand from it, nothing really vibrates, it's merely about probabilities to find the particle on some spot that "vibrate".

 

[Gear300]

By what I've read, its vibrating energy, in which with each vibration, it could turn into a different particle. So all the several bunches of elementary particles found are all essentially different versions of the same thing...or at least I think this is how it works according to theory.