The Potential of String Theory: Advancements in Quantum Mechanics and Beyond

[rrw4rusty]

Hi!

When quantum mechanics was established it allowed us to do things that we could not do before.

What would string theory allow us to do? Let's say that string theory was confirmed -- tests showed the projections string theory made were correct and now string theory was accepted. What would it allow us to do that we can't do now? What good would it do us?

Thanks,
Rusty

 

[PhysPhanatic]

General Relativity (gravity) = Apples
Quantum Mechanics (submicroscopic physics) = Oranges

String Theory brings them together. It's a quantum mechanical model that incorporates gravity, where QM and Relativity were never able to work together before.

It's a bit more complicated than that, but that's about the gist of it.

 

[ernestpworrel]

String theory says that the universe is a seamless whole spread out among several dimensions rather than a sea of quantum particles. So, according to String Theory, any interaction involving either of the four fundamental forces can be described by one single set of laws. In the same way that Kaluza was able to unite GR and electromagnetism by the addition of a fifth dimension, String Theory hopes to unite GR with the other two nuclear forces by the addition of extra spatial dimensions.

 

[PhysPhanatic]

Correct, as well as adding (though not uniquely) the presence of "superparticles".
And in response to ernestpworrel's comment about extra-dimensions, string theory uses the "M-theory" concept, in that there are 11 dimensions, rather than Kaluza's 5.

 

[rrw4rusty]

Hi,

Thanks for your replies! Everything stated I already know.

So scientists will have 'closure' and everything will be tied together.

But besides that... how would it improve technology. What problems would this knowledge help us with in practical terms (consumer goods, space exploration, faster PCs, cure the common cold, smaller Ipods)?

What good is it to the average (non-scientist) person?

Don't get me wrong, I'm with you... wanting 'to know'. But, there should be 'some' answer.

r

 

[Demystifier]

Due to additional dimensions, perhaps we could travel long distances through shortcuts in higher dimensions. It's pure SF at the moment, but who knows ...

 

[tom.stoer]

It depends on the solution of the theory we are living in; perhaps we can create a tunnel to the "next" brane, perhaps we can tune the strength of gravity, I don't know.

I do not see any realistic aplication as everything is right at the Planck scale

(OK, large extra dimension could change this; we will be able to create black holes at the LHC and destroy the Earth much more effectively :-(

 

[humanino]

there should be 'some' answer.

Try to think of what Planck would have answered if asked what his considerations on heat and radiation are good for. Would he have guessed "iPhones !" ?

String theory is a logical possibility in our quest to understand what's "out there". We have only very few things in life comparing in value.

 

[Bob_for_short]

Try to think of what Planck would have answered if asked what his considerations on heat and radiation are good for. Would he have guessed "iPhones !" ?

String theory is a logical possibility in our quest to understand what's "out there". We have only very few things in life comparing in value.

Black body radiation was a real problem.

String theory does not proceed from any real problem. It's a mathematical physics exercise extremely advertised but resulted in nothing since proceeded from nothing physical. It is like taking some mathematical postulates and deriving consequences, theorems, etc. They exist within the mathematical framework but not reflect and are not obliged to describe something physical. String theory is not a "logical possibility"; rather it is practising mathematical logics.

 

[humanino]

String theory does not proceed from any real problem.

From somebody who does not believe in renormalisation, I must say I am not surprised.

 

[Bob_for_short]

The string theory proceeds from believing-in-renormalizations researchers (believers in bare masses, counter-terms, running cut-offs, and other non physical stuff and its patches) but who failed to apply it in QG - this theory is not renormalizable. So the believers added the cut-off by hand. The higher, the better. Plank length in the coordinate space. Nobody can verify it. But even that does not work. Because everything is thought out, then patched and re-patched. And this all is presented as TOE.

I believe in reasonable physics and mathematics, according to my own experience.

 

[MTd2]

From somebody who does not believe in renormalisation, I must say I am not surprised.

I wouldn't take that way. Blackbody radiation was a weird fundamental problem experimentally observed expecting to be explained, just like dark matter and dark energy are today.

String Theory, or anything that involves anything that involves quantum gravity, are not based on any observed data, but on the inconsistencies of mathematical models.

 

[PhysPhanatic]

I believe in reasonable physics and mathematics, according to my own experience.

Ah, So because you can't actually see the Planck length, it isn't there? Well we can't actually see the so-called "Dark Side of the Moon", so it must also not be there. And if we're going to go there, let's say that evolution doesn't happen because we can't actually SEE it.

Here's an experiment that you can add to you "own experience. Put your foot in a shoe. When it disappears, try convincing me that it's there.

Sorry to put it to harshly, but saying that something cannot exist just because you cannot see it is to completely rule out quantum mechanics, also.

 

[Bob_for_short]

My foot in and out of a shoe is quite different from the Plank-length stuff (strings). Max Plank developed a unit system from known universal constants including G and ћ. The length unit obtained was quite weird and followed from no physical problem. Do you know what is the size of a Hydrogen-like atom with G, m_e, and m_p instead of e²?

Please give us an estimation of this "Bohr-Plank" quantum radius. I am afraid that gravity is always classical, no quantum gravity effects can be separated from other, stronger interaction effects.

 

[Bob_for_short]

Ah, So because you can't actually see the Planck length, it isn't there? ...

I do not understand why you cited one my phrase and attacked another one.

I admit that there are things that I had no opportunity to see but it does not mean I should believe in any assertions.

 

[rootofunity]

Reading these posts makes me wish I found this forum ages ago :D