Modern and Theoretical Physics

Hi all, this looks like a great forum where semi-informed folks like myself can ask questions and not be ignored because we're not actually physicists. So, it seems like everything boils down to particles. I watched a show today about the Higgs-Boson for example, and they explained that the LHC had enough energy to actually produce the HB. This makes it seem like there are these ultra tiny, fairly weird, but nevertheless locatable "things" that if we only had "god's eyes" so to speak we could physically see spinning, glowing, whatever. Is this true? Or is the word "particle" just a handy term used to talk about a phenomena that really doesn't accord with our comm…

Rigid application of the scientific method potentially restricts the capability to scientifically investigate subjects that fundamentally cannot be observed or measured. Many examples of such subjects can be given. Everything that exists beyond information horizons belongs to this group. But also the answer to questions like "What is the origin of space curvature?", "How are photons emitted and absorbed?", "How are potentials emitted?" cannot be experimentally verified. On the other hand, string theory and Loop Quantum Gravity enter subjects that appear to withdraw from experimental verification. Physicist are rightfully reluctant to accept completely or largely deduced…

Hi there! S-matrix is Path Integral with Vertex Operators inserted. I know how to compute Shapiro-Virasoro amplitude. So I don't have problems with calculations but with understanding. In this calculations formalism of 2-dimensional CFT is used. But there is no S-matrix in CFT, only correlators (N-point functions). I can treat embedding of world sheet into Minkowski space like scalar conformal fields with color indices. In this sense it is pure CFT where again no S-matrix is available. In QFT we have assymptoticaly free particles, but due to scale invariance we can't build such states in CFT. What I actually compute when I compute Polyakov's path integral with vertex …

sometimes neutral Kaons decay into three pions... does that imply, that the strange quark in the neutral Kaon, can occasionally decay, by emitting, not one, but two W bosons (which each then decay into separate pions) ? that is, [math]K^0 \rightarrow \pi^0 + W + W[/math] [math] \rightarrow \pi^0 + \pi + \pi[/math] ? (All meson decays seem to proceed through the Weak force, e.g. link) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaon

If you have negative energy, is it possible to make negative mass using the negative energy? And also, if you can convert it to mass, are you able to accelerate that mass to speeds close to the speed of light so that you would get more negative mass?

theoretically would it be possible to use earths natural magnetic forces to create a hover board? its just for a bit of fun, but in my mind it should be theoretically possible, as long as there is a light repulsion from earths magnetic field, surely that could be enhanced ?? or alternatively could it be possible to revers the casimir effect again by using earths natural forces? Surely if this can be accomplished even on a small scale, then it would almost over night eliminate the need to use fossil fuels as a use for transport. obviously there are unlimted uses for this, but it would be a good way to start to fix the polution problem, it also opens up the doors for…

Why does, for example, the strong nuclear force exist? Do we know? Can we know? Perhaps this is more of a philosophical question than a science one, but I'm not particularly expert in either area so need some help in my ponderings Does science only observe and describe what's there, or can it explain the existence of such fundamental 'things'?

That limit is theorized in unified field theories of gravity. It is the origin of the Planck forces and of black hole physics. As for, ''then you have to explain why c and G have their values'' this is true. The origin of the forces can be given by the quantity I gave, but the question you raise is like asking why the fine structure constant has the value it has. We don't know why these field strengths exist, but we may actually already know their origin.

The relation of color charge to electric charge Dirac has shown how Einstein's expression for the relation of energy to momentum in Special Relativity can be factored into two linear parts using 4x4 Dirac matrices. [Dirac, P.A.M., The Principles of Quantum Mechanics, 4th edition (Oxford University Press) ISBN 0-19-852011-5] This can also be done using 2x2 Pauli matrices (labelled K,L,M) because two inertial observers agree on the component of momentum Q orthogonal to the component of momentum P in the direction of a Lorentz boost. (E/c)^2 - P^2 - Q^2 - (mc)^2I = (E/c + rKP + gLQ + mcbM)(E/c - rKP - gLQ - mcbM) This is true for all 3! = 6 permutations of K,L,M …

Recently as I was reading a book concerning Theoretical Dark Matter I came upon a question which bothered me, but I could not find and answer to it. The question is as follows: If Dark Matter and Dark Energy were confirmed would "Dark particles" be added to the standard model? And would Dark Energy be classified as a fifth force? And for the final question: What would become of any Weakly Interacting Massive Particle on the standard model, would a new model be created, or would it just be added? I'm guessing that any particle would be as all other forces are explained by the Standard model, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated/

Imagine a photon zipping along in space until CRASH it runs into an atom and is absorbed by an electron, sending the electron to a higher orbital. What happened to the photon's momentum? If momentum is conserved, something else must be going on that I don't see. Does the entire atom inherit the momentum and start moving, ever so slowly, in the photon's direction? Similarly when the electron falls back to a lower level, it's going to emit a photon that has a certain momentum. But you can't just materialize momentum out of thin air empty space -- that would violate conservation. Again, something else must happen ... but what? This was nearly touched on in a previous arti…

Hello, this will be my first article, and I thought I'd write it on one of my favorite topics. Anyway, instead of listening to my rhetoric, lets get right down to the information. This "Warp Drive" I speak of, is actually the same theoretical drive speculated on in one of Miguel Alcubierres' papers. In theory, this warp drive bends space to allow for quick travel between two points (tesseract). In theory, this drive could propel spacecraft to over one billion million times the speed of light, but would require 10^64 kg of exotic matter (matter that has negative mass). Because of this, warp drive technology has been ignored... until now. In January of 2013, How…

Hi, I have this idea of mine about relativity and quantum theory, and I'd like to know if it is absurd or if there some idea in it. I have my own understanding of those theories, I hope you won't disqualify me too fast for this. (please excuse my english, it's not my main language) So. First we have quantum theory, which can describe matter using Feynman diagrams : a lot of "classical" scenarios made of trajectories and interactions (particule paths), that are combined to get the actual sum of probabilities. This, I know, is a well verified interpretation. We suppose that, for any scenario, the particules are "unmodified" between interactions. The conserv…

“Sometimes attaining the deepest familiarity with a question is our best substitute for actually having the answer.” - Brian Greene, The Elegant Universe In that sentence, I think that Brian Greene has summarized the attitude of many physicists, especially those whose training and experience has driven them into an over-familiarity with all the unanswered questions in quantum mechanics. The standard model proposed too many inexplicable phenomena, with which too many physicists have become too complacently over-familiar. Quantum mechanics and classical physics just cannot be reconciled, too many say. Which would be fine if quantum mechanics then went on to explain everyt…

If you had to describe the universe in terms of its fundamental components what would you say they are? As someone with a love of science but no formal education beyond GCSE and pop science books, I would hazard: spacetime forces energy/matter Does that sound right? What would your list be?

When Schrodinger equation is applied to harmonic oscillator solution is possible when particle is moving away from mean position because of positive potential energy therefore equation can be changed to Hermite polynomial but when particle is moving towards mean position because of negative potential energy solution is not acceptable because it cannot be changed to Hermite poltnomial which shows selective nature of Schrodinger equation.Do you agree that there is some flaw in equation and it needs to changed

Dirac has shown how Einstein's expression for the relation of energy to momentum in Special Relativity can be factored into two linear parts using 4x4 Dirac matrices. [Dirac, P.A.M., The Principles of Quantum Mechanics, 4th edition (Oxford University Press) ISBN 0-19-852011-5] This can also be done using 2x2 Pauli matrices (labelled K,L,M) because two inertial observers agree on the component of momentum Q orthogonal to the component of momentum P in the direction of a Lorentz boost. (E/c)^2 - P^2 - Q^2 - (mc)^2I = (E/c + rKP + gLQ + mcbM)(E/c - rKP - gLQ - mcbM) This is true for all 3! = 6 permutations of K,L,M where r,g,b equal +1 or -1. The set {I,K,L,M} forms t…

Here is what I have so far, looking for others to help me add on. Low Entropy Start: Roger Penrose of Oxford University writes about the way in which the universe had to start with low entropy to have galaxies, stars and life. To have this state, and the resultant second law of thermodynamics, the ‘Creator’ had to aim for what is called a certain volume of ‘phase space’ This aim would have to have been accurate to 1 part in 10^10^(123). [1] The Cosmological Constant, Lambda: The Cosmological Constant is causing the universe to expand at an accelerating rate, such that if the cosmological constant were larger by 1 part in 10^120 it would have prevented stars and ga…

What is the force of magnetism between 2 magnets?

Every piece of matter in a singularity. How did time even go forward at all? Sorry I can't elaborate much further, as my background in physics is very, very, very limited. Also, since gravity does affect the forward motion of time, why bother giving the entire universe deadlines? People say the universe will collapse in so many years, when certain parts of the universe are "further" into the future than others.

That's my only question. I am a newbie here, so I don't know if this is the right section to post this question. I am expecting a non-mathematical answer with minimum science terminologies, as I won't understand it at all. If an atom is hit by a photon, its electron excites and changes its shell and then again falls back to its previous shell, giving a photon. My question is, why the given out photon goes in perfect opposite direction of the incident photon to make angle i = angle r.

Been wondering about the possible scenario..... In going with the thought that everything has its own resonant frequency....and by reinforcing it through sympathetic vibrations it can cause a resonant wave to build up to the point that it causes the object to break apart or shatter.....what is the possibility this effect can be induced in an atomic nucleus? Could we take something like a helium nucleus (one proton, one neutron) and hit it with a laser (since photons can interact with a nucleus) and manipulate it so that a resonant wave builds up to the point it causes the nucleus to split apart?

Hello all, here you may find article draft http://tp-theory.net/tpt_eng.pdf where I prove that: 1) light has always "c" speed for any observer and there is no ether, but... 2) photon is explained as disturbance in time-space structure, traveling through this time-space with field equations exchanging Maxwell equations 3) Schwarzschild metric is recapitulated with proper time increment related to field, that works for any field 4) I define Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics for generalized field 5) Minkowski Metric is explained as the result of keeping constant light speed for rotating reference frames I appreciate if you validate it. P.S. I am looking f…

Hi, I'm trying to make a presentation about light and would like to include some interesting facts when presenting. I'm not a physics or a physics major, so I need your help . From my understanding, the more energy driving an object with mass, the more spacetime warps. Now this got me thinking of something and I was wondering if this is true or not. Let's say we have three people. Person A, Person B and Person C. They're all at an Olympic stadium. Person A is on the stands and he's going to watch Person B and Person C race around the track. The race is set to an infinite number of labs. Person B has some sort of a superpower, and the energy driving him doubles every f…

Where did Edison get the glass bulbs for his light bulb experiments and his other equipment? And where did Tesla get his electrical equipment and supplies? Goes ditto for the other electricity guys and women of the era.