Are there more than 4 dimensions?

mlb62

Science

17 Jul 17

mlb62

Joined: 20 May 17
Moves: 18086

17 Jul 17

How can scientists prove more than 4 dimensions?

twhitehead

Cape Town

Joined: 14 Apr 05
Moves: 52945

17 Jul 17

By experiment.

First they need a theory with more than four dimensions that makes predictions.

mlb62

Joined: 20 May 17
Moves: 18086

18 Jul 17

you mean, like String theory

moonbus

Über-Nerd (emeritus)

Joined: 31 May 12
Moves: 8749

18 Jul 17

There are as many dimensions as needed. They cannot all be visualized, of course, because most of them have no sensory analogues.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topological_data_analysis

KazetNagorra

Germany

Joined: 27 Oct 08
Moves: 3118

18 Jul 17

Originally posted by ogb
How can scientists prove more than 4 dimensions?

In physics and mathematics, one can and does use any number of dimensions depending on the problem at hand, including zero, one, any finite number, infinite and fractional.

You're probably referring to string theory. While I'm not an expert on the topic, as far as I understand many variations of string theory require more than 4 physical dimensions. You would show that these theories are correct by empirically verifying their predictions. In the case of string theory, this is extremely hard, which is why few people are working on the topic.

sonhouse

Fast and Curious

slatington, pa, usa

Joined: 28 Dec 04
Moves: 53335

19 Jul 17

1 edit

Originally posted by @kazetnagorra
In physics and mathematics, one can and does use any number of dimensions depending on the problem at hand, including zero, one, any finite number, infinite and fractional.

You're probably referring to string theory. While I'm not an expert on the topic, as far as I understand many variations of string theory require more than 4 physical dimensions. ...[text shortened]... case of string theory, this is extremely hard, which is why few people are working on the topic.

Here is a book I read:

The Trouble with Physics, by Lee Smolin:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trouble_with_Physics

This Wiki gives a 50 cent tour of the book. He hates string theory, bottom line🙂

And another physicist chimes in: Peter Woit

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Woit

Woit and Smolin both object to string theory on the grounds it has yet to make a single prediction that can be tested by any kind of technology in the foreseeable future.