quantum mechanics?

Question

Can quantum laws be used to explain gravitation?

Answer 1

Ah, well, isn't that the Holy Grail of physics, to use quantum physics to explain gravitation? Physicists have been trying to do that for decades now. It's all part of the Grand Hope of Marrying General Relativity with Quantum Physics.
Einstein has surely been laughing in his grave for the past 50 years, since his explanation for gravitation is still the best so far.

Check wiki article on "Quantum Gravity"

Answer 2

Gravitational effects are significant only for massive objects. Quantum mechanics is for interactions at atomic, nuclear, or even smaller levels. Einstein thought he could unify gravity and electromagnetism because he was not much a believer of quantum mechanics.

The only scenerio of quantum mechanics and gravity coming together would be when large amount of matters are squeezed and squeezed (as in Big Bang or Black Hole) situations where quantum effects also kick in. This is highly speculative and theoretical.

Answer 3

No. Not yet.

Einstein was searching for a 'Unified Field Theory' when he died ... Quantum physics, M Theory etc., is trying to do the same thing.

Q. physics has no explanation for gravity even though it can predict the behavior of sub atomic particles better, Relativity can explain gravity better.

The challenge is to bring the two, very big and very small, together and find out how matter works the same in both worlds. Same matter Huh!

Keep questioning, answers are coming ... I think soon.

Jonnie

Answer 4

Not as such.

Quantum mechanics explains the electromagnetic force - the general theory of relativity explains gravity - however the 2 theories dont work well together.

Replacing them with a single quantum theory of gravity is THE main object of physics right now.

M-theory is one possible solution though there are others like the much less known quantum loop gravity and twistor theories.

Answer 5

No quantum mechanics has yet to be reconciled with general relativity. General relativity can though. However, the two are fundamentally different. One considers the observers perspective influences results, and one considers observer and observed to be independent. One is background-independent and one is background-dependent. I think i read this in Loop Quantum Gravity by Lee Smolin. It goes into great detail (for the layman) to explain a method of reconciliation between the two theories by that name. That might not be the best book on QM to start with though. You'll find more fascinating introductions to it at any of the large bookstores in the physics or science section. The most amazing things in QM, in my opinion are:
the double-slit experiment;
EPR, entanglement, non-locality, Alain Aspect (who proved it), Bell's theorem
and the Uncertainty Principle and virtual particles.
Knowing these things will change the way you look at the world in a drastic way. Your jaw will drop open.

Hope that was helpful.

Answer 6

Not yet. People involved with "Theories of Everything" are working to get one set of equations that resolve all of the physical phenomena of the universe simultaneously. We're apparently not that close yet.
Relativity and gravitation theories currently explain the very large very well, and quantum theory currently explains the very small very well. We haven't been able to reconcile both at the same time with one set of equations.

Answer 7

Not quite. At the basic level, they aren't complimentary - strange, since both theories work perfectly well for everything else. That's one of the things people are trying to fix with string theory, m-theory, brane theory, etc. Trying to perfect a theory of quantum gravity, which would pull a lot of physics together.