One theory of the universe is that it has 10 dimensions; 3 along each visible axis, and the tenth being time. How appropriate that we're on the Tenth Doctor :)
The theory is that the extra ones are rolled up inside (possibly outside) the visible ones.
Extrapolate the idea that a 2-dimensional being wouldn't understand how walking in a straight line round a ball could bring them back to the starting place. Then blowing up a straight line (traditionally one-dimensional) could leave it looking a bit like a pencil - you could walk around its circumference (one extra dimension) or along the length, round the point, back along the underneath & round the blunt end (the other extra dimension). It still *looks* one-dimensional to us, becasue we're 3-D beings, but the extra ones are there inside anyway.
Brian Green expains it better in "The Elegant Universe". I can accept it the same way I can accept quantum duality and wasabi filling in chocolate cake (they shouldn't work, but they do).
In string theory, and its offspring M-theory, it is assumed that there are as many as eleven dimensions, but that some of these are 'rolled up' smaller than the Planck length and cannot be observed.
A common analogy for this is to consider a piece of garden hose. From a distance, it appears to have only a single dimension, its length. Close up, there is another closed dimension, namely its circumference.
Would I be right in thinking that this theory is needed to make the physics work - i.e. make predictions? But is not needed in order to accomplish tasks such as navigating to the bus stop and eating chocolate?
Unless the bus stop and chocolate are on the scale of Planck's constant (see nmg), then probably not. But if you *do* find yourslef walking in teeny weeny spirals, you'll know why :)
Tenth? nonsense. It's the forth dimension. (grin) As pointed out in the other comments, it really is just WHAT number you give time- but it is so hot on the heels of the other three, I like it being the 4th one.
As to it being tenth? Simple question- what are the other six diemnsions? I mean if we can't name 'em/define them then by purely scientific definitions they do not exist.
Yeah but get Ten to the dimensional fusion point, we're talking practically an automatic - yay particles! ^_^
Can we still keep time as the tenth dimension, or is it shunted (all the way) to eleven?
*abuses THAT icon, again*
I think the 11th was gravity (some M-Theorist theorised gravity was theoretically leaking into and out of the universe as opposed to it being theoretically generated by bodies - and she worked this out theoretically because she climbed up walls and theoretically didn't drop off... or something.) so if 10th is Time and goes (all the way) to the 11th dimension ... *scribbles on little piece of paper*
I can only conclude that Ten should be dropped onto an available body and we'll see if gravity starts to leak out anywhere? *bats eyelashes*
no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 01:52 pm (UTC)--
Tim Harris
The Seeker
Time Lord
no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 01:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 01:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 02:07 pm (UTC)Extrapolate the idea that a 2-dimensional being wouldn't understand how walking in a straight line round a ball could bring them back to the starting place. Then blowing up a straight line (traditionally one-dimensional) could leave it looking a bit like a pencil - you could walk around its circumference (one extra dimension) or along the length, round the point, back along the underneath & round the blunt end (the other extra dimension). It still *looks* one-dimensional to us, becasue we're 3-D beings, but the extra ones are there inside anyway.
Brian Green expains it better in "The Elegant Universe". I can accept it the same way I can accept quantum duality and wasabi filling in chocolate cake (they shouldn't work, but they do).
no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 02:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 02:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 02:12 pm (UTC)Can does not imply will.
Feeling adventurous? :)
--
Tim Harris
The Seeker
Time Lord
no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 02:15 pm (UTC)A common analogy for this is to consider a piece of garden hose. From a distance, it appears to have only a single dimension, its length. Close up, there is another closed dimension, namely its circumference.
la la la
Date: 2006-01-18 02:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 02:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 02:45 pm (UTC)Re: la la la
Date: 2006-01-18 02:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 02:50 pm (UTC)I've heard *about* an 11-dimensional universe, but it didn't seem so sensible as a 10-d one. I'm open to being proved wrong :)
no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 02:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 02:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 03:56 pm (UTC)Only so the infinite number of possible universes can plausibly become de-paralleled and nest within each other, which brings me to...
Nine/Ten OTP! (You knew there had to be a reason for this, right? I only abuse physics when there's summat a mite pervy to be done. *coughs*)
no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 04:03 pm (UTC)I'm not an M-theory expert. Can we still keep time as the tenth dimension, or is it shunted (all the way) to eleven?
no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 06:27 pm (UTC)nonsense.
It's the forth dimension.
(grin)
As pointed out in the other comments, it really is just WHAT number you give time- but it is so hot on the heels of the other three, I like it being the 4th one.
As to it being tenth?
Simple question- what are the other six diemnsions?
I mean if we can't name 'em/define them then by purely scientific definitions they do not exist.
But yas, time is the extra dimension.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 06:56 pm (UTC)Yeah but get Ten to the dimensional fusion point, we're talking practically an automatic - yay particles! ^_^
Can we still keep time as the tenth dimension, or is it shunted (all the way) to eleven?
*abuses THAT icon, again*
I think the 11th was gravity (some M-Theorist theorised gravity was theoretically leaking into and out of the universe as opposed to it being theoretically generated by bodies - and she worked this out theoretically because she climbed up walls and theoretically didn't drop off... or something.) so if 10th is Time and goes (all the way) to the 11th dimension ... *scribbles on little piece of paper*
I can only conclude that Ten should be dropped onto an available body and we'll see if gravity starts to leak out anywhere? *bats eyelashes*
no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 10:32 pm (UTC)For this to work, I will need a bottle of Springbank and the blood of a freshly slaughtered graduate student of Nathan Seiberg.