I have read that the smallest unit of time is 3.3 x 10^-44 sec. This was derived from dividing planck's length by the speed of light. Is this confirmed to be true? If this is true, does this mean that the universe operates on a clock-cycle much like a computer does?
2006-08-05 08:35:21 · 5 answers · asked by The Sheep Dog 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
YOUR question is a current hot topic in physics !
Quantum theory states that there is a SMALLEST unit of time that is NOT further divisible. Of course this has never been experimentally tested.
Relativity states that time is relative to each observer and is NOT absolute ( it is continuous ).
These two principles directly violate each other. Both theories have been tested in their respective applications and are shown to be equally sound.
How can such a conflict exist ?
Such is the quest for "the theory of everything" or "Quantum Gravity".
I suggest reading Lee Smolin's " 3 Roads to Quantum Gravity" for an in depth look at this paradox.
I personally believe that time is eventually relative ( as with all fundamental ideas ) and that quantum theory will have to be understood against a much broader framework of relativity.
great queston !
:)
2006-08-05 17:12:44 · answer #1 · answered by fullbony 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is an interesting question, you must first decide then whether the universe is analog or binary. Obviously a clock cycle is designated between a high and low state however can the universe switch between two different states.
Also a planck length has been determined as a length that can no longer be split and is as such the smallest possible distance that can exist. This gets around the halfing paradox, also this stops the material universe being infinitly large as we know it has a limit and thus all physical objects have a defined size.
2006-08-05 15:46:16 · answer #2 · answered by XriZ 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Time is a dimension. I believe this unit is the smallest amount of time that we can measure. For us, there is a certain limit to which we can measure location in the 3rd dimension. This is governed by quantum laws. The value that you stated is likely regarding the smallest amount of time that we can detect due to randomness of quantum events around us. However, this does not mean that the dimension itself is quantized, like any of the other dimensions.
2006-08-05 15:51:57 · answer #3 · answered by polloloco.rb67 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This topic is still under study.
2006-08-06 01:16:56 · answer #4 · answered by meno25 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not true because that unit of time can be split in half and then again and then again and then again and then again..............
2006-08-05 15:45:04 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋