Math Whizz

[Alpha Bravo]

That's the case in the Euclidean space ... it has 3 dimensions and it is the space we live in.

There are other spaces as well, depending on the concepts behind them. While some of them are physical (for example the string theory uses 10 dimensional space and implies that we do not live in 3 but in 10 dimensions), others are purely mathematical concepts (for example the Hausdorff-dimensions) and thus independent from the simple 3D space we live in.

*disclaimer: forgive my complete ignorance:

10 dimensions? How far is that an abstract concept that has not and cannot be proven? Or is there physical proof that more dimensions exist other than simple three dimensions and a time dimension?

mathematicians and physicists have produced a number of theories about mulitple dimensions. a common thread among them seems to be that there are our 3 large dimensions (x,y,z), time as the 4th, and an additional 6 dimensions on top of that. They argue that since we live in a 3 dimensional world, it's hard to visualize a world with more dimensions. If taken from a purely mathematical point of view, its easier to understand.

According to my professor, there has actually been some evidence of the existence of multiple dimensions. A cosmic ray landed in Utah with 6 times the amount of energy it should have. Cosmic rays are supposed to scatter photons to get their energy underneath the GZK bound, .5 x10^20 eV. This ray landed with 6x the energy, 3.2x10^20eV. No other possible sources of cosmic rays were detected from where it came. My professor theorizes with 6x the energy and no other possible source of cosmic rays, the cosmic ray that landed in Utah might have come from a different dimension

[Empy]

oh, dear Lord, I feel like Col. O'Neill listening to Carter explaining something........

Agree and I like the analogy.

[deni]

That's the case in the Euclidean space ... it has 3 dimensions and it is the space we live in.

There are other spaces as well, depending on the concepts behind them. While some of them are physical (for example the string theory uses 10 dimensional space and implies that we do not live in 3 but in 10 dimensions), others are purely mathematical concepts (for example the Hausdorff-dimensions) and thus independent from the simple 3D space we live in.

*disclaimer: forgive my complete ignorance:

10 dimensions? How far is that an abstract concept that has not and cannot be proven? Or is there physical proof that more dimensions exist other than simple three dimensions and a time dimension?

It is a theory. Actually there are many string theories.

Unfortunately to conduct physical experiments to "prove" the string theories, one needs a lot of energy. More then the large hadron collider can provide at the moment. So no, there is no "strict" proof about its existance.

But on the other hand, there is no proof that it is not true aswell

[Londo Mollari]

the majority of vector mathematics can be applied to n dimensions, working with hyper planes etc

[Alpha Bravo]

That's the case in the Euclidean space ... it has 3 dimensions and it is the space we live in.

There are other spaces as well, depending on the concepts behind them. While some of them are physical (for example the string theory uses 10 dimensional space and implies that we do not live in 3 but in 10 dimensions), others are purely mathematical concepts (for example the Hausdorff-dimensions) and thus independent from the simple 3D space we live in.

*disclaimer: forgive my complete ignorance:

10 dimensions? How far is that an abstract concept that has not and cannot be proven? Or is there physical proof that more dimensions exist other than simple three dimensions and a time dimension?

It is a theory. Actually there are many string theories.

Unfortunately to conduct physical experiments to "prove" the string theories, one needs a lot of energy. More then the large hadron collider can provide at the moment. So no, there is no "strict" proof about its existance.

But on the other hand, there is no proof that it is not true aswell

The US was supposed to build the Superconducting Super Collider but it was cancelled in 93. The universities that were put in charge of the supermagnet design fell way behind of schedule. It was supposed to triple the energy of that produced by the LHC

[Dmonix]

Surely anything you can measure with regard to another dimension can be considered an additional dimension, multiple dimensions extend from now just the physical (x, y, z) and time you can look at temperature over time etc.

Just my 2c.

Don't question mathematicians, we're brilliant enough to convince the world that there are such things as imaginary numbers and then we take it one step further and convince people that they're useful for something

[Hitchkok]

Explain to me the concept of a transfinite symmetry group with 10 to the power of 19 dimensions.
Thank you!

i wanted to write something, but am too drunk to.
i'll do it later
EDIT: ok, arak is wearing off.
anyway, i just found out my kibbutz won't pay for my math degree in the hebrew university, cause then it'll have to add payment for the dormitories .
it will only pay for a degree in ben-gurion university, which is half an hour away from my house, and then i won't need a dormitory room.