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Analysis - Eaton
The Usefulness of Theoretical Physics
Author: Alex Eaton
Instructor: S. Flatt
Class: English 1100
In modern physics, the divide between ideas that are factual versus purely theoretical
is starting to become quite large. Over the last 100 years or so, we have made great
strides in finding empirical evidence to back up theoretical claims already proposed,
such as Einstein's theory of relativity. As both math and physics (being intertwined)
become more advanced, we are finding less evidence to back up new claims. The fact
that there is a lack of evidence for currently proposed theories, for example string
theory, has led some scholars to suggest that the brilliant minds behind these theories
should focus their attention on something that can be tested at present. While this
is not a bad idea, these individuals may be failing to look at the advances in science,
technology, and general understanding that ideas, once considered only theoretical,
have unlocked.
In the book The Trouble with Physics, by the theoretical physicist and author Lee
Smolin, the idea that theoretical physics is becoming outlandish and no longer functionally
applicable is the main topic. In this book he discusses string theory, quantum interactions,
and the "theory of everything." The basis of his whole argument is that we are using
our best mathematical and scientific minds to do research that will not lead us to
any applicable uses ("The Trouble with Physics").
While it is true that some current theoretical ideas are purely based in math with
no observational evidence, nearly every advanced theory proposed within the physics
community begins this way. Take Einstein's Theory of Relativity, for example. Einstein
used math to show that we live in a four dimensional universe with the mass of objects
curving all of these dimensions. Not only did this turn out to be accurate when observed
50 years later, but he also theorized that time does not always pass at the same rate
depending on a person's location and velocity. This too has been observationally confirmed.
Now, these ideas seem to have no basis on the grounds of technology, which is an enormous
part of our lives today; however, without this theory we would not have something
we are all very familiar with: the GPS (Global Positioning System). Nearly everyone
has used a GPS, and many of us have them in our cars and even on our phones. The GPS
system would not work without the mathematics behind Einstein's Theory of Relativity.
If we had tried to deploy the satellites required for the GPS without Einstein's math
in play, after only two minutes an individual would receive wrong information about
their location. After 24 hours, the GPS would indicate a ten kilometer difference
from a person's actual location. This discrepancy is due to the fact that time passes
more slowly in close proximity to a massive object, Earth in this example, and more
quickly further away from a massive object (Pogge). This novel use of Einstein's theory
is one easily understandable reason why we should continue to propose theories that
may at first seem as though they are not applicable to daily life.
Since the time of Einstein, many new theoretical ideas have been proposed. Some technological
advances resulting from these ideas are nuclear energy, semiconductors, lasers, quantum
computing, and quantum teleportation. While the last three from the above list may
sound as though they were pulled from a science fiction novel, they are indeed scientifical
fact thanks to theoretical physics. Now, I would like to focus on only a few from
the above list: nuclear energy, quantum computing, and quantum teleportation. To begin
with, nuclear energy is the process that produced the atomic bomb, but also powers
nuclear reactors around the world. Without this process, extremely large cities would
be solely dependent on electricity, which is much less efficient than nuclear power.
Quantum entanglement, which applies to both quantum computing and quantum teleportation,
is the subatomic process by which two physical particles are actually one and the
same ("Quantum Entanglement"). Through this process, we have begun to create quantum
computers. These computers, which use the mathematics behind quantum entanglement,
allow for exponentially greater computing power due to the fact that two individual
pieces are processing the exact same information ("Quantum Computer"). When it comes
to quantum teleportation, the actuality of this process is much less exciting than
the name suggests. Since the two quantum particles that are entangled represent the
same thing, whatever action is performed on the one particle, the other particle will
experience the exact same thing at the exact same time regardless of distance. The
proposed idea behind this is a means of communication. While information outside of
a physical event (the destruction of both particles) has yet to be teleported, it
is believed that in the near future a means of instantaneous communication may exist.
This process would be most applicable when we begin to move further out into space.
With an instantaneous means of communication, we would not be limited by the speed
of light as we are for our current means of communication ("Quantum Teleportation").
In the world of theoretical physics today, many ideas are purely theoretical. In this
context, an idea being purely theoretical means that it is supported by infallible
mathematics, but has no observational evidence to back it up. Some of the more popular,
and widely considered reliable, theories of this nature are the multiverse, inflation
of our universe, and string theory. The multiverse theory is the idea that there are
essentially an infinite number of parallel universes that exist somewhere outside
the observable universe. Each one could be nearly identical to our own, or it is believed
by some that universes could exist where there is no matter at all. The current calculation
has the total at approximately 10^500 possible alternate universes ("Multiverse").
To put this in perspective, there have been approximately 10^18 seconds since the
big bang. The inflationary theory is considered the most reliable of all currently
proposed theories. This is the idea that instead of a "Big Bang", or the expulsion
of matter at the beginning of the universe, space itself expanded, and in doing so,
carried the entirety of our universe's matter with it. This theory is tied directly
to the multiverse theory in that whenever calculations for an inflationary universe
are made, one byproduct is the creation of all the other parallel universes ("Inflation
(cosmology)").
String theory is one of the most recent and exciting developments in the world of
theoretical physics. Let me first say that the primary goal of physics is to unite
all fundamental forces into one theory. The mathematical unification of the fundamental
forces has yet to happen, but string theory is the best attempt at this goal thus
far. The basis of this theory is that at a subatomic level the universe is comprised
of 11 dimensional strings, which make up all matter. When using the mathematics of
string theory to make calculations and predictions of physical events, the format
of the equations changes to those that already exist to describe said events. In this
way, string theory has made great strides in the direction of a "theory of everything"
("The Official String Theory Web Site"). This "theory of everything" would be able
to predict any physical event that ever has or will occur. Each of these theories
describes our universe in very abstract terms that seem as though, even if proven
true, would not hold much weight as far as the betterment of our society. However,
as has been demonstrated by the work of Einstein and a slew of others, just because
there is no observational evidence to date and a theory doesn't seem to have an immediate
application, doesn't necessarily mean there won't be any in the coming future.
When delving deep into the world of theoretical physics, we find that not only is
the universe not as it appears to the naked eye, but that there are possibly a plethora
of events occurring that we may not fully understand. As time passes, we will not
only have a better understanding of the mathematics of our universe and the theories
derived from that, but also more observational data to back up present theories. When
we better understand these theories, it is likely that we will find some way to apply
the mathematics within to our daily lives. Through this process, it seems likely that
we will make technological advancements that are not even presently fathomable.
Bibliography
1. Pogge, Richard W. "GPS and Relativity." GPS and Relativity. N.p., n.d. Web. 24
Apr. 2014
2. "Quantum Entanglement." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Apr. 2014. Web. 24
Apr. 2014.
3. "Quantum Computer." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Apr. 2014. Web. 24 Apr.
2014.
4. "Quantum Teleportation." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Apr. 2014. Web. 24
Apr. 2014.
5. "Multiverse." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Apr. 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
6. "Inflation (cosmology)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Apr. 2014. Web. 24
Apr. 2014.
7. Schwarz, Patricia. "The Official String Theory Web Site." The Official String Theory
Web Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
8. "The Trouble with Physics." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Apr. 2014. Web.
26 Apr. 2014.