Questions on The Elegant Universe
1. What was Einstein’s dream? ♦ To come up with a “Theory of Everything”
2. What is the new theory attempting to answer Einstein’s dream and what does it propose? ♦ An all encompassing and unifying theory that combines all the laws of the universe called “String Theory.” The basic idea of string theory is surprisingly simple. It says that everything in the universe, from the tiniest particle to the most distant star is made from one kind of ingredient—unimaginably small vibrating strands of energy called strings.
3. Who was the first to propose a theory of unification? What force did he discover? What was it that he did not understand about this force? ♦ 1665: Isaac Newton came up with the first theory of unification. He discovered the force of gravity sitting under apple tree. He did not understand how gravity worked.
4. What was the new picture Einstein gave us of this force discovered by Newton? What was Einstein’s new theory called? ♦ That gravity doesn’t exceed the speed of light. He them came up with three dimensions of space and a single dimension of time bound together in “space time”. He called his theory “General Relativity”.
5. What two forces did Einstein try to unify? ♦ He tried to unify gravity and electromagnetism.
6. What two forces did Maxwell show could be unified with his four simple equations? What was the resulting force called? ♦ Electricity and Magnetism. The single resulting force was electromagnetism.
7. What is the similarity between electromagnetism and gravity? What is their difference? ♦ The physical fact that it seems like the speed of gravity is equal to the speed of light, so if they go at the same speed, then they have some underlying symmetry. They are different because they have differences in strength. Electromagnetism is stronger.
8. What was discovered in the 1920’s by a group of scientists led by Neils Bohr and how did it affect Einstein’s theory? ♦ Entirely new realm of universe that described the microscopic realm of atoms. Atoms were found to consist of smaller particles and how they interact. Gravity was too weak a force and electricity and magnetism were insufficient. Experiment after experiment it proved Einstein to be wrong about things being predictable and orderly. 9. What was the name of the new theory developed by scientists in the 1920’s and what did it say about the universe in the subatomic realm? ♦ Quantum Mechanics. It stated that things at the subatomic level were all up to chance; not orderly and predictable as once thought.
10. What two new forces were discovered in the 1930’s and where do they work? ♦ “Strong nuclear force” acts like a superglue holding nucleus of atom together and binding protons and neutrons. “Weak nuclear force” allows neutrons to become protons giving off radiation.
11. What force is left out of the Quantum Mechanics theory? ♦ Gravity is left out because no one could figure out how it operates at an atomic or subatomic level.
12. What theory(s) do we need in explaining a black hole and why? ♦ Both General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics because one deals with heavy objects and the other deals with tiny objects. Stars that become black holes are both heavy and tiny.
13. What is the advantage of the new String Theory? How does it attempt to explain all things ♦ String Theory takes into account the theory of large and the theory of small. It makes sense of universe at all scales and places. Instead of a multitude of small particles, it says all things in universe, all forces and matter are made of one single ingredient. Strings can wiggle in different ways and it represents how different particles can move as well.
14. What is the problem with String Theory? ♦ Strings, if they exist, are so small they can never be seen. It cannot be tested.