Introducing String Theory

What is String Theory?

Every matter is made up of atoms and atoms are made up of Protons, neutrons, and electrons. Earlier we used to think that these are the fundamental particle and cannot be divided further. But when we collide two protons in a particle accelerator, we found that there are even more fundamental particles mainly classified into quarks, leptons, and bosons. Discoveries of these particles gave rise to a new model of particle system which is called Standard model of elementary particle. Now, let’s come back to fundamental forces. Strong nuclear, weak nuclear and electromagnetic force can be explained by a standard model of elementary particles but not gravity since its force carrier is still not found and at a microscopic level, gravitational force doesn’t exist. So, if we want a unified theory of everything, we have to explain Quantum gravity.

String theory claims to explain the Quantum Gravity. According to String theory, the matter is made due to the vibration of one-dimensional strings. Now we know that Quarks, leptons, and bosons are the most fundamental particles and if we try to look more closely to them, we will find the blurry image of influence. These particles can only be characterized by a point in space having a certain charge, spin, and a magnetic dipole. They look a lot more like a disturbance in a 3D space and according to String theory, this disturbance is caused by the vibration of one-dimensional strings. This theory is needed to have at least 10 spacial and one time dimension. So, this theory has many anomalies but it can derive the standard model so it can be true.

How String theory explains quantum gravity? Was the question sill headed around this theory?

When this theory was in its starting phase, its mathematical equations predicted that there must be some massless particle inside an atom but scientists could never find it experimentally. When years later scientists tried to simplify the same equation, they found that the massless particle was pointing towards the graviton, the force carrier of gravitational force.[05/01, 11:28] Hashir: der string theory, six more theories were proposed according to the different understanding of different scientists. All these theories are unified in M-Theory. Among 5 of them claim about 10 dimensions but Bosonic theory tells about 26 spacial dimensions.

Read – Are we living in a simulated universe?

Is String Theory Right?
[05/01, 11:28] Hashir: Telling whether String theory is right of the wrong of far more difficult as it seems. It tells about many things which we cannot prove experimentally. For example,

String theory tells about gravitons and many expensive experiments were conducted to discover that but it was never found.

It tells about seven extra dimensions which we could never discover since we are 3-dimensional beings.

It also tells about Tachyons, a particle having a velocity greater than the speed of light. Since, according to the Theory of relativity, the speed of light is the speed limit of the universe, tachyons directly compete with the theory of relativity.

”

So, this theory is less scientific and more philosophical. Due to some of these reasons, many people disagree with String Theory. It still has many anomalies but once it is proved, we can give answers to many big questions such as the reason of Big Bang, what is inside a black hole, what is outside the universe, etc.

But to get the answers to these questions, String theory is not the only way. There are many theories which can give the theory of everything such as Loop Quantum Gravity.

By: Hashir Razzaq

Team, Ameartya Sen & Harsh Kumar Jha