What is string theory?

Answer 1

String theory, in brief, is an attempt to reconcile classical physics with quantum mechanics. The core of the theory is that matter is made up not of point particles, but of sub-Planck-length loops of vibrating energy called strings. The frequency of the vibration through 11 or more dimensions is what gives us the appearance of particles.

Answer 2

String theory (a Unified Theory of Everything) is an alternate propostion to the fundamental makeup of the universe as opposed to the Standard Model.

In string theory, the fundamental particle is a "string" (thus the name).
String theory predicts 11 dimensions as opposed to the Standard Model's 4.

String theory is some beautiful maths which brings together all the fundamental forces of the universe into one but there is to physical proof to back it up at this time.
The Standard Model on the other hand currently fails to bring all the fundamental forces of the universe into one.

Basically, its a theory of what the fundamental building blocks of the universe are made if.

To learn more at a basic level, watch the program The Elegant Universe online here:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/program.html

Answer 3

You have a good tutorial on string theory.
String theory postulates, among other things,a multi dimensional universe.
The universe is four dimensions and can't be chopped up and reunited as something else.
Space is a quantum entity and the string theory says it is something else.
Strings would put no limits on the universe including the speed of light.

Answer 4

11 dimensional string theory has not produced anything.

It is possible that the extra 7 dimensions of space, (that are not perceived), are mathematical deception, and therefore string theory is a theory of nothing, as you will find if you read the wikipedia article on string theory all the way to the end.

Answer 5

To my mind it is supposedly the thing inside an atom (in theory), it is a string that makes a certain sound, unique to that element for example which makes different elements etc. The string is around the size of a tree compared to earth.

Answer 6

Think of a guitar string that has been tuned by stretching the string under tension across the guitar. Depending on how the string is plucked and how much tension is in the string, different musical notes will be created by the string. These musical notes could be said to be excitation modes of that guitar string under tension.
In a similar manner, in string theory, the elementary particles we observe in particle accelerators could be thought of as the "musical notes" or excitation modes of elementary strings.

read the rest here
:http://superstringtheory.com/basics/basic4.html

Answer 7

For a long time, we only knew the smallest parts of the atom were the Proton, Neutron, and the Electron. Then, we theorized that these were made up of something smaller called quarks. Now, string theory proposes that quarks themselves are made up strings - little vibrating circles of energy. And, stranger still - these little 'stings' are all made of the same thing, but their vibration, or sound, that they make makes their characteristics a little different.... combinations of these things make up the different sub-atomic particles, which in turn make up everything else in the universe.

Answer 8

String theory replaces infinitely small point particles with strings of energy that take up a finite space. Their vibration patters determine what they are.