M-Theory: Are P-Branes & Strings Made of Matter/Energy?

[Mwyn]

Ok about M-theory, are the P-branes or strings or closed and open loops suppose to be made out of matter/energy? if they are then how could that be possible if matter/energy is suppose to be composited out of particles to explain chemical reactions, that would mean for the strings to move they would have to be composite even though that's already impossible because there always has to be some sort of fundamental point to it.

 

[Mike2]

According to Einstein, mass is equivalent to energy. The question is how is this possible? There seems to be something in common between bit of matter and spacetime itself. I can only imagine that matter is itself movement of spacetime. If matter is waves of spacetime curvature, then motion of the particle through space would only add to that how much space was waving.

 

[darrenkarp]

From my very basic understanding (been studying this for 3 weeks so excuse me if I'm very very wrong!) at the quantum level matter/energy is composed of strings each of which vibrates at a different frequency. It's nice to think that every atom sings it's own song!

I can easily grasp this if I forget everything previously learned about classical physics and the planetary model of an atom.

 

[Mike2]

From my very basic understanding (been studying this for 3 weeks so excuse me if I'm very very wrong!) at the quantum level matter/energy is composed of strings each of which vibrates at a different frequency. It's nice to think that every atom sings it's own song!

I can easily grasp this if I forget everything previously learned about classical physics and the planetary model of an atom.

String theory is rather speculative at this point. The trouble I have with string theory is that you still have quantities that instantly change as you cross the string; this is still a type of discontinuity just like a singularity is.

It would seem that particles must be some sort of spatially extended object in order to account for the properties of the particle like mass, spin, charge, etc. For otherwise you would expect the properties of a point to dissipate away from the point. It would be like a membrane being pulled at a point. What is pulling the membrane? If nothing, then you'd expect the point to be released and the energy to be released as the membrane is allowed to relax. Something is holding the point in such a tension and is responsible for concentrating the energy.

So I suspect that it must be some sort of hypersurface, a 2D surface in a 3D space, for example, that is holding the particle properties. Then there is no crossing such a boundary because there is no space on the other side to cross over to. Why strings? Why can't the vibration be of some higher dimensional objects?

 

[darrenkarp]

Pesonally (and I am almost certain my feelings will change over time!) I cannot imagine any more than 4 dimensions nor can I at this point imagine that the Universe we live in was created to be so complex. Energy quanta and the thought of these to be in the form of vibrating harmonic strings is both a quant and natural way of thinking about matter as I've already said.

Personally and again this has not been guided by any textbook in a major way strings seem to be a natural way of thinking about matter. The only problem is when you start to think of classical physics! This is where a cloud starts to form and you begin to overthink!

I'm not even certain at this point whether time exists but that's another story!

 

[pelastration]

It would seem that particles must be some sort of spatially extended object in order to account for the properties of the particle like mass, spin, charge, etc. For otherwise you would expect the properties of a point to dissipate away from the point. It would be like a membrane being pulled at a point. What is pulling the membrane? If nothing, then you'd expect the point to be released and the energy to be released as the membrane is allowed to relax. Something is holding the point in such a tension and is responsible for concentrating the energy.

So I suspect that it must be some sort of hypersurface, a 2D surface in a 3D space, for example, that is holding the particle properties. Then there is no crossing such a boundary because there is no space on the other side to cross over to. Why strings? Why can't the vibration be of some higher dimensional objects?

Mike, your logic is similar why people like Lou Kauffman think about knots and quantum topology. There must be some fixing, then you can build up higher.
A link to a Lou Kaufmann lecture at the perimeterinstitute.ca site: http://perimeterinstitute.ca/activities/scientific/seminarseries/alltalks.cfm?CurrentPage=8&SeminarID=290 .

 

[Avagail]

From what I understand, strings are loops of energy.

 

[Chronos]

Any solution must permit the 4 dimensional solution already known to be valid. That is the only gauntlet that must be picked up.