String Theory For Dummies?

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Format: eBook
Pub. Date: 2009-10-01
Publisher(s): For Dummies
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Summary

Making Everything Easier!String Theory for DummiesLearn:The basic concepts of this controversial theoryHow string theory builds on physics conceptsThe different viewpoints in the fieldString theory's physical implicationsAndrew Zimmerman JonesPhysics Guide, About.comwith Daniel Robbins, PhD in PhysicsYour plain-English guide to this complex scientific theoryString theory is one of the most complicated sciences being explored today. Not to worry though! This informative guide clearly explains the basics of this hot topic, discusses the theory's hypotheses and predictions, and explores its curious implications. It also presents the critical viewpoints in opposition to string theory so you can draw your own conclusions.Understand the "theory of everything" - grasp the key concepts and importance of the theory, and learn why scientists are so excited about finding a theory of quantum gravityIt all comes down to physics - discover how string theory is built upon the major scientific developments of the early 20th centuryBuilding the theory - trace the creation and development of string theory, discover its predictions, and see whether accurate conclusions can be madeTake string theory for a spin - explore the core issue of extra dimensions, the implications for cosmology, and how string theory could explain certain properties of our universeBoldly go where no one has gone - see what string theory has to say about possible parallel universes, the origin and fate of our universe, and the potential for time travelHear from the critics - listen in on the heated debates about string theory and weigh the alternatives being offeredOpen the book and find:The questions string theory attempts to answerEasy-to-follow examplesExplanations of Einstein's theory of relativity, quantum theory, and particle physicsThe successes and failures of string theoryFascinating bits of string theory including strings and branesWays that string theory can be testedDiscussions of loop quantum gravity and other possible alternative theories of gravityHow the theory may relate to cosmic mysteries, from the origin of matter to black holes

Table of Contents

Introduction
Introducing String Theory
So What Is String Theory Anyway?
The Physics Road Dead Ends at Quantum Gravity
Accomplishments and Failures of String Theory
The Physics Upon Which String Theory Is Built
Putting String Theory in Context: Understanding the Method of Science
What You Must Know about Classical Physics
Revolutionizing Space and Time: Einstein's Relativity
Brushing Up on Quantum Theory Basics
The Standard Model of Particle Physics
Physics in Space: Considering Cosmology and Astrophysics
Building String Theory: A Theory of Everything
Early Strings and Superstrings: Unearthing the Theory's Beginnings
M-Theory and Beyond: Bringing String Theory Together
Putting String Theory to the Test
The Unseen Cosmos: String Theory On the Boundaries of Knowledge
Making Space for Extra Dimensions
Our Universe - String Theory, Cosmology, and Astrophysics
Parallel Universes: Maybe You Can Be Two Places at Once
Have Time, Will Travel
What the Other Guys Say: Criticisms and Alternatives
Taking a Closer Look at the String Theory Controversy
Loop Quantum Gravity: String Theory's Biggest Competitor
Considering Other Ways to Explain the Universe
The Part of Tens
Ten Questions a Theory of Everything Should (Ideally) Answer
Ten Notable String Theorists
Index
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

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