Does space vibrate?

[Infinityloop]

Hi, I was watching a documentary about the "string theory" and few questions come to my mind.

And here is my question, Is possible that what is vibrating is the space itself and not a string?


Let me explain myself, I like the idea of that different vibrations can generate different particles. However the nature of the "strings" is very confused to me, circular strings of energy? what's energy the vibration or the string?

According to this, different vibrations will generate different particles. So, I am suggesting that the vibration of the space is generating the matter. Therefore, the Einstein theory should be seen backwards. It is not the matter which generate the curvature of the space-time, is the vibration of the space which is generating the curvature and the matter is the result of how we see these vibrations.

This also have sense in quantum mechanic, because the particles (space-time vibrations) move the space-time matrix at small scale affected by the neighbors particles and the relationship of the different particles will be defined by the properties of the vibrations (similar to the string theory but without strings)

And the energy? This is may more complex, but if there are some type of vibration than can move the space (not "in the space") without to be restricted in a small area (e.g. because neighbors vibrations retain it, like in matter) the space will not curve significantly. This also explain the collision of the energy with matter and the creation of matter from energy when the movement is reduced and compacted (low speed). It is also consistent with the entropy that can be considered other type of vibration.

Obviously, I am not a Mathematician, neither a Physicist, so it is difficult to me to represent this in numbers. Does this thinking has sense to you in a physic point of view? Is there any theory out there that already says this or something similar?

I will appreciate your feedback,

To finish a poetic note, If this is true, we are all intimately connected because we are only a vibration of the space, where no longer everything is contained but everything is space.

Thank you.

[Mordred]

actually your not far off. lets clarify one aspect first though, space itself has no substance or fabric. Space is just geometric volume filled with the energy-mass contents of the universe. In and of itself there is no matter or energy.(this is also true in string theory) However that volume isn't empty, there is always some form of particle either virtual particles or real particles present. Though often the energy density per m³ is extremely low. In cosmology the Einstien field equations and the FLRW metric correlate the dynamics of the universe, as an ideal gas or perfect fluid. Energy-density of a contributor such as photons etc has a correlating equation of state, to relate its energy density to its pressure contribution.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equation_of_state_%28cosmology%29

 

Now QM and QFT, has a vacuum state called zero point energy, which is the lowest energy state a volume of space can have. This is due to the Heisenburg's uncertainty principle. In this case what it boils down to is extremely short lived particles pop in to existence in matter/anti-matter pairs. (virtual particles are too short lived to be considered a real particle) These particles contribute to the energy-density of the vacuum pressure.

 

So the lowest energy density in any volume of space is considered to be

 

[latex]e=\frac{hv}{2}[/latex]

 

e is the energy

h is the planck constant

v is the frequency

 

also every particle has a wave function as well as momentum, A particle is defined by its spin, energy and momentum, in QM each of these properties has a corresponding wave function. As well as interaction wave functions, rather than try to show you the math its probably better to let you read a reference.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave_function

 

-Wave functions and function spaces: if the wave function is to change throughout space and time, one would expect the wave function to be a function of the position and time coordinates. It is solved from the Schrödinger equation (or other relativistic wave equations), a linear partial differential equation: (differential geometry mathematics involved in this, the terminologies in this section are all differential geometry aspects and coordinate systems)

 

other wave functions include (see the reference on their usage)

 

-Position-space wave function

-Momentum-space wave function

 

how these different wave functions over all is defined in the Relation between wave functions section.

 

so yes all the particles in the universe, in a sense have a vibration, however that vibration is referred to as its wave function or frequency, however as I explained above space itself has no substance (volume only). However how particles interact influences the various wave functions of other particles.

 

now in string theory the twisted particles is in the same sense is a theoretical particle influence with a rotational wave function or curled movement(twist) string theory relations also uses advanced differential geometry to describe into a coordinate system how various influences occur. (string theory is not my specialty, so I would have to look at the applicable metrics)

 

When you look close enough at any of the various physics studies the mathematics usually breaks down to how a influences b in terms of a coordinate system and differential geometry. So much of the terminology used is in fact mathematical terms (space-time geometry, phase space, Hilbert spaces are some examples),This is true in QM,relativity, particle physics,QCD,QED,QFT string theory etc. The differences comes into play on what coordinate system and interactions described by which differential geometry, best describes what is being modeled

 

one of the best textbooks that teaches this understanding is (that I have read)

 

"Roads to Reality" by Roger Penrose he starts at a low level of mathematics and gradually brings you up to a point where you can relate to any model (though some of his terminology is rather hilarious, such as using the term zig and zag to describe electromagnetic frequency)

 

edit forgot to add zero point energy of the vacuum energy is also described by the quantum harmonic oscillator

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_harmonic_oscillator

Edited June 28, 2014 by Mordred

[Infinityloop]

Thanks Mordred, good answer with a lot of info for getting starting. I will give a look at all this intersting info.

[Nicholas Kang]

Is virtual particles also known as quasiparticles and dropletron is one of the examples?

@Infinityloop

 

I think Michio Kaku`s book Hyperspace would also explain your answer about string theory. I think you should read it. There is even superstring theory and its history in his book, but that was an old book around 20 years ago and yet still worth to read.

[Mordred]

"In physics, quasiparticles and collective excitations are emergent phenomena that occur when a microscopically complicated system such as a solid behaves as if it contained different weakly interacting particles in free space."

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasiparticle

 

list of quasi-particles

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_quasiparticle

 

virtual particles though can occur anywhere, and they are identical to a real particles in all aspects except they are too short lived to be considered a real particle. Where quasi particles are convenient descriptive's for particle like collective interactions.

 

think of it this way excitations=particle (either real or virtual)

collective excitations= quasi-particle see the above definition

 

here is a brief descriptive from my notes

 

Quasi-particles require the existence of an external medium or fields, whereas elementary particles do not. For example, phonons require a solid or a fluid to exist (they are collective modes of the atomic lattice vibration), likewise pions require a quark-antiquark sea. These are not fundamental particles, in the sense that they need the existence of other particles.

 

the dropleton has the same requirements

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dropleton-quantum-droplet-quasiparticle/

Edited June 30, 2014 by Mordred

[Nicholas Kang]

Ok, I get what you mean. Quasiparticles are derived to explain phenomena-many-body problem. They are not particles but phenomena of simplifying complex solid particles motion.

[Mordred]

correct