What would be the ultimate Mind Boggling Question in Physics?

Answer 1

i agree Stephen Hawking, can u bliv anything in physics if there is no 'assume', 'consider', 'let',....i neva...

Answer 2

There are a lot of 'Mind Boggling' questions in physics, but if you want what the Ultimate question is, what everything is eventually pointing toward and what we're trying to figure out....that would be the Grand Unification Theory (also known as the GUT).

If you know a little about physics then you know that there are Four fundamental forces (or five depending on how you look at it): Gravity, Electricity and Magnetism (already combined into Electromagnetism), the Strong Nuclear Force, and the Weak Nuclear Force. One the surface these forces seem completely unrelated and independent of one another. But if you believe in symmetry and simplicity (like a lot of scientists do), then you believe or at least hope that all of the fundamental forces can be combined together and then a set of 'Super Equations' can be formed that will explain anything in the universe, regardless of if it occurs on the atomic level or on the macroscopic level.

This idea of Unification is what Einstein was working on before he died and what many scientist continue to work on now. Very few people actually pursue it with much vigor, though. We now realize that in order to understand the whole, we need to understand the parts. So, people put all the effort into trying to understand Gravity, the Strong Force, and the Weak Force in hopes that if we perfectly understand them, then we'll be able to see the connection between them. Unfortunately all indications say that the connection between these forces, and then combining them with Electromagnetism, happen at very high energies. Higher than we normally work with. That is why we build particle accelerators in order to observe how these forces behave at higher energies.

I don't know if you've ever heard of String Theory, but it is one of the current attempts (and quite possibly the best attempt) at finding the GUT. If you're still curious then the link below will give you some decent information. Unfortunately it's difficult to grasp the meaning of a lot of String Theory or any of the details of how they search for the GUT without understanding the math behind it (differential equations and statistical analysis), but it's interesting reading if you want to give it a shot.

Answer 3

any question which falls into the category of what i call a "fundamental why?" would basically be unanswerable and therefore ultimately mind boggling. its surprising, however, just how many fundamental why's are out there in the world. it's not as complex as asking which came first during the big bang (time or energy/mass, they were simultaneous). In fact, most complex questions are answerable.

A good example of a fundamental why has to do with gravity. the line of questioning is this: why does an object fall? because gravity works on it. Why does gravity work on an object? because gravity is an attractive force between two objects. FUNDAMENTAL WHY: Why do two objects exert any gravitational force on each other at all? (or, what about the existance of mass CAUSES it to have gravitational attraction to other mass?) this is a fundamental why and cannot, at this point be answered. even if we DO discover the answer, there will be another fundamental why behind it.

Another mind boggling question in this line of simple thought has to do with clouds. when H20 condenses there are at least two molecules of molecular weight 18 joined together to form AT LEAST a molecular weight of 36. However, oxygen forms as o2, which only weighs 32 on the molecular scale. so why do clouds, which are condensed water with much more than 2 h2o units joined together, float? there's no discernable reason why heavier particles should float over the top of lighter particles. Figure it out and guess what? nobel prize for you.

Answer 4

The question is, "What's a good theory that integrates (unifies) General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics?" Candidates for The Ultimate Mind Boggling Theory are given preference that furthermore describe the electroweak and hadronic interactions and all known particles as things necessary to make the theory mathematically consistent. Lacking such candidates, anthropic down selection of a landscape of possibities will be reluctantly considered. Special consideration will be given to theories which imply that at least one Big Bang is inevitable.

Answer 5

the central dogma in physics today is known as the "measurement" problem in quantum theory.

essentially, the observer plays a central role in quantum theory by defining the collapse of probabilities to an "observed event".

the mechanism of how this occurs ( via consciousness ) is unknown . it cannot be addressed by quantum theory and is hence discarded by physicists as "trivial".

It is however NOT trivial. Herein lies the question to what is "consciousness" which essentially is a problem in physics and not philosophy.

to answer your question gore, the most mind boggling question is that of the mind itself !

there is currently NO physical theory of the consciousness and hats off the great one who will be able to enlighten us !

peace

:)

Answer 6

I think it has already been asked, but remains unresolved: How can the perceived physical laws describing the "macro" universe (Newtonian physics) exist alongside evidently contradictory laws describing the "micro" universe (quantum physics)? The seach for a grand unifying theory (the Theory of Everything) goes on.

Answer 7

How did God cause the Big Bang?


I have a theory that conforms to both Genesis and the Big Bang theory.

In the beginning the universe was a singularity. Then God said, "Let there be a Big Bang," and there was a Big Bang.

Answer 8

Show that the laws of physics in this galaxy are the same as the laws of physics in the next galaxy !

Answer 9

My physics curse is the question:
How does gravity link quantitatively to the other universal forces?

Answer 10

What came first Time or Mass/energy?

Answer 11

Prove that the Creation account as outlined in the Bible factual.