I've read that there are up to 10 -11 dimensions in the universe...why can't scientists model gravity?

Question

I know the first four 1D,2D,3D,time, can someone explain to me in LAMENS terms how more dimensions are possible?

Answer 1

imagine a person living in a 2 dimensional universe. if that person observed a sphere passing through their world, they woud see a point, then a series of circles getting big, then small then a point again. they would never think of a sphere. same with you. imagining a universe >4 dimensions is difficult.

also, keep in mind. the dimensions are merely mathematical theories that make the data fit. not observed dimensions.

as to gravity. there are many forces in the universe. gravity is ridiculously small compared to others such as magnetism. think about all the mass of the planet pulling on a pint of beer. yet you can pick it up, tip it upside down, and drink it. Gravity is very tiny (and very hard to get a handle on and run experiments on ) when compared to the rest of the forces around us.

for more info read the book called "warped passages" by lisa randall. she gives a great explanation of multidimensional universes....

Answer 2

You mean in Layman's terms? Hmm this is only a theory about Super Strings. that explains all the four forces in the universe (Gravity, Electromagnetism, Strong Nuclear, and Weak Nuclear force).
these other dimensions are so small that they are undetectable. The scale for these dimensions is beyond our comprehension such as an electron would be the size of a Galaxy compared to a tree if we want to be dealing in this kind of dimension. The only good thing about this theory is that it can explain all the forces with a unified theory (Grand Unified Theory) that Einstein tried in vain to come up with.
If you want further reading pick up "Elegant Universe" by Brian Greene

Answer 3

Sure. A 'dimension' is a characteristic that cannot be derived from other characteristics. For example, people can be 'measured' in terms of age, weight, height, hair color, eye color, and IQ. Right there you have a '6-dimensional' being. And just knowing age, height, weight, hair color, and eye color will tell you absolutely *nothing* about IQ. Nor can you 'derive' any other of them by knowing all of the others.

When discussing 'dimensions' in physics, one has to be very careful not to confuse what the word actually 'means' with ones intuitive understanding of 'dimension' that has been developed by only being able to physically 'perceive' 3 dimensions (4 if you count time and 5 if you count charge, such as static electricity). But the other 5 (spin, color, flavor, strangeness, and charm) which are generally accepted as legitimat 'dimensions' (and, possibly a 6'th one which is being debated right now) are characteristics of sub-nuclear particles which can only be seen 'indirectly' through observation. Very much like 'charge' which we experience only indirectly through such things as 'static cling'. You only see the effect, not the 'force' that actually makes up an electric field.

HTH ☺

Doug

Answer 4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_gravity