Quantum Physics - A beginning.

[Donald McGlinn]

A topic that has fascinated me for years is Quantum Physics.

Quantum physics has identified 11 separate dimensions and has evidence of multiple universes based on probabilities as I understand it.

I must admit here that I have a limited understanding of quantum physics and for that reason I created this forum with the hope of learning more and having a place for others to learn too.

Any thoughts?

Donald

[Chris]

I've also got a keen interest in quantum physics, string and M theory. Admittedly I'm very much a layman in these subjects, but I still read avidly into these areas. One thing to be careful of is this area is very new and a lot of the ideas it presents are conceptual constructions which attempt to enable our minds to grasp these ideas, rather than actual descriptions of true phenomenon. An example of this is a concept used frequently in mathematics called 'imaginary time'. It's a time construct which veers away our time perception on a tangent. It has no actual existence, but it allows certain problems to be solved, so it is used when needed. Many concepts in QP are the same.
The idea of dimensions is more a tangent than an actual physical realm like our universe. For example, 1D = up and down, 2D = left and right, 3D = in and out, 4D = movement along a time axis etc. In string theory these tangents are actually curled up on themselves in an extremely minute space called a calabi yau space (made up of 6 dimensions). These spaces are everywhere, but so minute they do not effect the other 4 dimensions which expanded during the bigbang (which make the 10 dimensions). Every point you move your hand through actually moves it through countless calabi yau spaces. http://www.futura-sciences.com/comprendre/d/images/510/CalabiYauSpace.jpg
The 11th dimension was constructed to unify the disparate string theory schools into one school called M theory. If you have read into brane theory, our universe can be pictured as a 2D (mem)brane floating in some form of 11th dimension. There could possibly be countless other branes of any shape or size floating in this space too. I can't be certain, but I think I read that this 11th dimensional space also intersects every point of our 4 dimensional universe (so it closer to you than your own skin). One theory of the bigbang was that two branes collided, releasing the energy which started this physical universe. This theory might also explain how gravity can be such a powerful force, yet it is overcome by the weak nuclear force (which stops us falling through matter to the centre of gravity). The theory suggests that we are feeling the 'tag-end' of gravity as it bleeds from another brane which is intersecting ours.

Regarding the many world theory, this was used to explain wave function collapse. In the example of the two slit experiment, the electron followed every possible path - this can be seen a horde of virtual particles moving through the space between the emitter and the recording device. Once an observation is made at the recording device, all the wave forms collapse into the one which is recorded. In the many world theory it is suggested that each virtual particle is in fact another universe and each possible collapse will happen in another universe (so all possibilities happen). We should be careful of basing beliefs and philosophies on these concepts as they are liable to change. They are simply our current attempt to explain a vastly complicated subject limited by our preception of only 3D space. I've read of evidence which might discount the many world theory all together.

Going back to an earlier point, string theory has many schools which have been unified under the M theory banner, each school can be used for different applications, but they do not agree. It has been said that our understanding of string theory and these areas is currently just approximations of some of the theory involved. It might take a very long time (hundreds of years) to actually produce a full theory (that's if we ever reach a stage where we can comprehend such things) and so for now, we make approximations - which ideas like the many world theory might just be.

[Quantitativefool]

Wow, that was an excellent definition of M-theory, I have read alot of texts on some Quantum Physics topics but that was certainly one of the better and clearer definitions to the 11 dimentional strucutre of the universe. It was very enlightening, Thank you.

Best wishes,
-Stu

Chris,
My recollection of M Theory (Magic, Mystery, Membrane, or Matrix Theory - very tongue in cheek) is that there are many "branes" constantly colliding with each other causing multiple "big bangs". These multiple big bangs are all creating multiple universes. I am unclear on something. I thought that there was not a distinction between branes and dimensions. I saw an interview last year of the creator of M Theory. Edward Witten (a true charicature of a "mad scientist" if there ever was one...goofy, nerdy, interesting fellow), and he believes that there are 11 dimensions.

I can't remember, are the branes and the dimensions the same thing? That would theoretically mean that there are 11 dimensions (branes)creating an untold number of multiple universes. Or was it that the branes were floating in 11 different dimensions?

I know that there are plenty of scientists who laugh at this, but these theories really overlap with spirituality in my mind. It would go a long way in explaining the dimensional shifts in consciousness that many of us have experienced in meditation or even experienced randomly. Particularly the ones where you feel as if you are "unlimited in space or time" and can't be contained. It would also help to explain the feeling of multiple lives or existences.

[Chris]

Chris,
My recollection of M Theory (Magic, Mystery, Membrane, or Matrix Theory - very tongue in cheek) is that there are many "branes" constantly colliding with each other causing multiple "big bangs". These multiple big bangs are all creating multiple universes. I am unclear on something. I thought that there was not a distinction between branes and dimensions. I saw an interview last year of the creator of M Theory. Edward Witten (a true charicature of a "mad scientist" if there ever was one...goofy, nerdy, interesting fellow), and he believes that there are 11 dimensions.

I can't remember, are the branes and the dimensions the same thing? That would theoretically mean that there are 11 dimensions (branes)creating an untold number of multiple universes. Or was it that the branes were floating in 11 different dimensions?

I know that there are plenty of scientists who laugh at this, but these theories really overlap with spirituality in my mind. It would go a long way in explaining the dimensional shifts in consciousness that many of us have experienced in meditation or even experienced randomly. Particularly the ones where you feel as if you are "unlimited in space or time" and can't be contained. It would also help to explain the feeling of multiple lives or existences.

Dimensions and branes are usually considered to be different things. The thing with string theory is that there are a number of different schools in it, and each use a different number of dimensions. Such as there are some which use 9 dimensions in their calculations and some which use as many as 25ish+.
Superstring theory and M-Theory brought these different schools together, although they still differ on certain subjects, using an 11th dimension united them.
There are different kinds of branes, but they are generally considered to be n-dimensional, and 'open strings' end on branes (they are called branes or p-branes now D-branes rather than membranes because membranes imply 2-dimensions where branes can be multiple dimensional).
The problem with string theory is that strings are so small; it's generally considered they will not be able to observe them directly. Although supposedly some of the dimensions might be curled up in a space as large as 1mm - so its hoped that a number of experiments to come on line in the next few years will provide some form of evidence of their existence (Such as CERNs new Large Hadron Collider).

"branes can be multiple dimensional"

So, is this a case of the branes floating in 11 dimensions at once, or that they can travel through different dimensions?

I've been reading (for about a year LOL!) a book called the "Holographic Universe". I usually have about 12 books going at once. The book takes QP and even expands the ideas into even more theoretical realms. I can wrap my brain around most of the ideas, but when they get to the mathematical part of any of the theories, my eyes start rolling back in my head. :roll: Mathematics is definitely not my forte. Have you read that book, and if so, what did you think about it?