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- Physicists have long sought after the “ Theory of Everything”. Today we have the General Theory of Relativity that provides the physics and math for big things: the Cosmos, light speed, the bending of space-time, gravity,….. We have another Theory of Quantum Mechanics. It works for all the small things: particle physics, the Uncertainty Principle, atoms, the Periodic Table of Elements, …
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- These two theories can not trade places. Neither theory works in the other’s realm.
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- Physicists would like to discover one set of fundamental laws that explain both aspects of our perceived reality. Most believe that there is an “objective reality” out there. An external world that has definite characteristics independent of the observer who perceives them. Actually, there is no way to remove the observer from our perceptions of the world.
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- Since the 1800’s the physics of Isaac Newton accurately describes our everyday natural world. Most all of it is in harmony with our commonsense. The math works.
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- However, when science obtained the resolution of our world in the 1900’s we got to the level of atoms and electrons. Newton’s theories no longer applied in explaining observations. Definite positions and definite velocities for particles could not be calculated. Our own observations altered events. Quantum Physics stated that the past, present, and future only in terms of a spectrum of possibilities.
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- We form scientific laws because they agree with our observations. Back in Ptolemy’s day the laws worked will having the Earth as the center of the Solar System. Although the math was complicated. It all worked until Copernicus was able to define elliptical orbits for the planets with the Sun at the center of the Solar System. The math got simpler. We adopted a new frame of reference with the Sun at the center.
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- Our brains can only interpret 2-dimensional data on our retina’s imaging 3-dimensional space. In our quest to discover more our brains are struggling today with 11-dimensions space time. Today’s approach to discover a “ Theory of Everything” has invented “String Theory”. The attempt is to bring the force of gravity into the domain of quantum physics.
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- One unusual problem occurred when physicists invented 5 different string theories. Which was right? In 1990’s they began to see that each theory was working only under a certain range of conditions. They invented “ M-Theory” to allow 5 different approximations to exist inside a more fundamental theory. M-Theory is more a network of theories, like a map.
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- Whenever we develop a model that is successful in matching our observations we tend to attribute the model to represent “ reality”.
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- Isaac Newton changed reality when he postulated that motion does not depend on mass. Gravity will force everything to fall to the surface of a flat Earth at the same acceleration. The acceleration of gravity, “g”, is always 10 meters per second per second. Everything falls together - free fall can not be detected. Under uniform motion there is no acceleration.
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---------------- Force = mass * acceleration
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------------------- F = m*a
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- If gravity is the accelerator: F = m*g
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- Newton took the law of the Force of Gravity being a proportionality to the product of the masses and inversely to the square of the distance between them to an equality by adding a Gravitational Constant, “G”.
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-------------------- Force = m * M * G / r^2
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-------------------- G = 6.7 10*-11 meters^3 per ( kilograms* seconds^2)
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- Einstein’s Theories changed the force of gravity to the bending of space-time. He further concluded that a particle that is massless has to move at the speed of light, through space at 671,000,000 miles per hour. For everything moving at the speed of light time stops. Space shrinks.
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- We now think that the energy of empty space-time is 3 times greater than the energy of matter-gravity. As the Universe expands matter gets diluted. Today there is 10^-29 grams per cubic centimeter, about 1 proton per cubic foot of space. We think that the energy that is expanding the Universe, Dark Energy, is 73% of the total mass-energy out there.
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- String Theory has 6 extra dimensions of space that are curled up and only 10^-33 centimeters in length. You see the struggle continues. We have the Universe expanding at an ever accelerating rate at one end. At the other end we have curled up strings 10^-33 centimeters long. Both ends are trying to explain our observed reality. The more we observe the more interesting it gets.
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RSVP, please reply with a number to rate this review: #1- learned something new. #2 - Didn’t read it. #3- very interesting. #4- Send another review #___ from the index. #5- Keep em coming. #6- I forwarded copies to some friends. #7- Don‘t send me these anymore! #8- I am forwarding you some questions? Index is available with email upon request. Some reviews are at http://jdetrick.blogspot.com Please send feedback, corrections, or recommended improvements to: jamesdetrick@comcast.net. ---- “Jim Detrick” -- www.facebook.com, -- www.twitter.com, -- 707-536-3272 Tuesday, November 5, 2013
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