2006-10-05 04:06:50 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Because general relativity does not take into account the uncertainty principle--many have tried to make it work but have failed. Special relativity works fine with quantum physics.
2006-10-05 04:09:55 · answer #1 · answered by bruinfan 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Combining General Relativity and quantum mechanics is an active field in theoretical physics called "quantum gravity". There is no final theory of quantum gravity, but a lot of work has been done and there is some success---for example, it is possible to predict that Black Holes explode, and how and why and when that happens.
I think the "deep" reason that quantum gravity is a problem is that in General Relativity, the shape of space itself is dynamic---to describe the shape of space requires a knowledge of gravity, in particular a knowledge of the location of all the mass and energy. Quantum mechanics, even relativistic quantum mechanics, starts out with a fixed background geometry, and the masses and energies move around in this fixed background. The two approaches are fundamentally different, from the very first page of the textbook.
2006-10-05 04:19:46 · answer #2 · answered by cosmo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I should first note that this works both ways, that there is no quantum theory which explains gravitational effects which has been shown to be correct (that is, there are several proposals, but if one is correct, it hasn't been shown to be correct).
What most of the other people said is more or less correct, though I would like to add one caveat, which is to say that only General Relativity egregiously contradicts quantum theory. Special Relativity's encorporation into quantum theory was accomplished first by Dirac, and is important to explain features of atomic structure.
2006-10-05 16:27:07 · answer #3 · answered by DAG 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the theory of relativity does not take into account the uncertainity which exists at the quantum level (as depicted in Heisenberg's Uncertainity Principle)
The principle states that it is impossible to measure the position and velocity of a particle, simultaneously, with absolute certainity at the quantum level.
2006-10-05 04:16:19 · answer #4 · answered by mailfortarun 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The simple way to think of it is that relativity is an overall effect, quantum mechanics is a very fine detail within the overall effect. It's all in the details, and yes there is more to be discovered.
2006-10-05 04:12:15 · answer #5 · answered by ron k 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi. Quantum physics and relativity have yet to united in a common theory.
2006-10-05 04:09:22 · answer #6 · answered by Cirric 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
General relativity states that on the smallest scales, spacetime is flat. However, quantum mechanics states that at the smallest scales, spacetime is in constant fluctuation - a quantum "foam".
The two statements are inherent to their respective frameworks, but contradict each other.
2006-10-05 05:32:42 · answer #7 · answered by Morgy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Possibly because there have been detected 2 flaws in Einsteins theory. One by the Japanese and forget who the other country was.
2006-10-05 04:20:07 · answer #8 · answered by mrcricket1932 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because Sub-atomic particles bunked from science classes.
2006-10-05 04:14:00 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It DOESN'T?????? D'oh! so that's where I'm going wrong!
2006-10-05 04:14:59 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋