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Elementary particles

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Zanthius

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Feb 20, 2008, 1:24:45 PM2/20/08
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Why do particle physicists think that elementary particles are 0-
dimensional points, or 1-dimensional strings?

I don't understand how any object can occupy less than 3 dimensions,
in 3 dimensional space.

Are you certain that the elementary particles are not cubical or
spherical?

Zanthius

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Feb 20, 2008, 1:44:07 PM2/20/08
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My computer screen is 2 dimensional. I cannot have a pixel that is one-
dimensional. The smallest pixel is quadratic.

If my computer screen was 3 dimensional, then the smallest pixel would
be cubic.

We live in at least 3 dimensional space.

srp...@gmail.com

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Feb 20, 2008, 3:36:51 PM2/20/08
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On 20 fév, 13:24, Zanthius <zanthius_of_d...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Why do particle physicists think that elementary particles are 0-
> dimensional points, or 1-dimensional strings?

No physicist thinks that elementary particles are dimensionless
points.

They simply can be mathematically represented like dimensionless
points, just like the whole mass of the Earth can be represented
as if it was all located at the center of the planet in astronomical
calculations.

André MIchaud

Sam Wormley

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Feb 20, 2008, 3:56:13 PM2/20/08
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Zanthius wrote:
> Why do particle physicists think that elementary particles are 0-
> dimensional points, or 1-dimensional strings?
>

There are various models of what particles are ... many
fruitful... Trying to think of a particle as having a
definite boundary will get you into trouble.

Igor

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Feb 21, 2008, 12:00:16 PM2/21/08
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On Feb 20, 1:24 pm, Zanthius <zanthius_of_d...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Why do particle physicists think that elementary particles are 0-
> dimensional points, or 1-dimensional strings?

Points are presumed because it would take a finite amount of time for
information to propagate throughout a finite sized particle. One
dimensional stings are just speculation even now, since string theory
has never found any supporting evidence.

> I don't understand how any object can occupy less than 3 dimensions,
> in 3 dimensional space.
>
> Are you certain that the elementary particles are not cubical or
> spherical?

Actually, they are wave packets.

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