2006-08-11 07:57:47 · 8 answers · asked by socratus 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
We hope so, but can't answer 'when?' It may be possible that String Theory may Do it. You may check it out on:
2006-08-11 08:01:19 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes...we think. Past experience suggests so, and string theory may do it (or another theory). Laws of Physics being unified comes down to being able to write one equation for all the interactions of nature (all the forces)
Here's what's been unified so far: Electricity has been unified with Magentism is the 19th century (electromagnetic force). After QM, 2 other forces were discovered bringing the total to 4:
Gravity, Electromagnetic, Weak Nuclear Force (responsible for some nuclear decay), and Strong Nuclear Force (holds quarks together). Currently, experiments and theory support the "electroweak force" which is EM and Weak combined. So it seems we're down to 3 forces. Grand Unifying Theories (GUTs) work to unifiy electroweak with the Strong force. Theories of Everything (TOFs) want to unify all 4 forces. Making gravity fit with the other forces is extremely hard due to how weak gravity is. String Theory is the leading candidate to do this so far.
In the 1950s (are about that) someone named Kaluza and later Klein unified gravity and electromagnetism (the only two known forces at the time) just by adding a 5th dimension (compactified). The problem was that it had some bad predictions on the mass of the electron and a lot of particles that were never observed. So it didn't work. But it openned up doors and is the first theory to suggest that extra dimensions may be possible.
2006-08-11 08:10:15 · answer #2 · answered by Davon 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
When we fully understand how the physical universe works, then we can say the laws of physics are unified. We might never find a single set of 'laws' to explain both electromagnetism and gravitation. They might indeed be completely independent. I would still call the laws of physics unified. If we can answer the 'how' without answering the 'why', I would still call the laws of physics unified. But we're not there yet, especially when dealing with gravitation and quantum mechanics.
That's my view of what it means for the laws of physics to be unified. The history of past progress hints that man might actually be capable of learning how it all works. If man didn't need to spend so much effort dealing with the 'inhumanity of man', we might be closer to that understanding.
2006-08-11 18:44:02 · answer #3 · answered by Frank N 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, ultimately, they are unified. We just haven't been around long enough to understand them. Something that complex will take several hundreds of years to completely understand and unify. Something new is always waiting to be discovered, and it would be counter-productive to think we completely understand anything in this amazing universe.
2006-08-11 08:04:10 · answer #4 · answered by Awesome Bill 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Einstein, poor soul, went to his grave trying. But it will be unified one day, as soon as someone figures out how emf fits in. Are you up to the challenge? Go for it!
2006-08-11 08:03:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes ,because every law in physics somehoe or the other relates to the other
2006-08-11 08:45:09 · answer #6 · answered by globe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
New physics are all about that. Check out this site:
http://superstringtheory.com/
2006-08-11 08:01:59 · answer #7 · answered by morganna_f 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
well some of them could and of them cannot..
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2006-08-11 08:00:41 · answer #8 · answered by thelostone 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋