Understanding Strings: Basic Concepts Explained

[planet-75]

TL;DR

What are Strings?

I don't have the requirements (thorough knowledge of SRT, ART etc.) to get into this theory, but I would like to get an idea about this word.

For the simplest case of a one-dimensional string, it is compared to a string from a musical instrument. Now the question is, what this string should represent. Is it something like an oscillation or a standing wave? Then the question arises, what the oscillation or standing wave would actually mean. To which specific phenomenon of the real particles would there be a relation?

 

[PeterDonis]

the question is, what this string should represent

In string theory, strings are the fundamental objects from which everything else is made.

To which specific phenomenon of the real particles would there be a relation?

In string theory, strings ultimately account for all phenomena. What we currently think of as "particles" (or more precisely quantum fields and their excitations) are particular kinds of string vibrations.

 

[DennisN]

@planet-75 :
Here's a very short introduction to Strings by Leonard Susskind (interviewed by Brian Cox):