A theory is a rational type of abstract thinking about a phenomenon, or the results of such thinking. The process of contemplative and rational thinking is often associated with such processes as observational study or research. Theories may either be scientific or other than scientific (or scientific to less extent). Depending on the context, the results might, for example, include generalized explanations of how nature works. The word has its roots in ancient Greek, but in modern use it has taken on several related meanings.
In modern science, the term "theory" refers to scientific theories, a well-confirmed type of explanation of nature, made in a way consistent with scientific method, and fulfilling the criteria required by modern science. Such theories are described in such a way that scientific tests should be able to provide empirical support for it, or empirical contradiction ("falsify") of it. Scientific theories are the most reliable, rigorous, and comprehensive form of scientific knowledge, in contrast to more common uses of the word "theory" that imply that something is unproven or speculative (which in formal terms is better characterized by the word hypothesis). Scientific theories are distinguished from hypotheses, which are individual empirically testable conjectures, and from scientific laws, which are descriptive accounts of the way nature behaves under certain conditions.
Theories guide the enterprise of finding facts rather than of reaching goals, and are neutral concerning alternatives among values. A theory can be a body of knowledge, which may or may not be associated with particular explanatory models. To theorize is to develop this body of knowledge.The word theory or "in theory" is sometimes used erroneously by people to explain something which they individually did not experience or test before. In those instances, semantically, it is being substituted for another concept, a hypothesis. Instead of using the word "hypothetically", it is replaced by a phrase: "in theory". In some instances the theory's credibility could be contested by calling it "just a theory" (implying that the idea has not even been tested). Hence, that word "theory" is very often contrasted to "practice" (from Greek praxis, πρᾶξις) a Greek term for doing, which is opposed to theory. A "classical example" of the distinction between "theoretical" and "practical" uses the discipline of medicine: medical theory involves trying to understand the causes and nature of health and sickness, while the practical side of medicine is trying to make people healthy. These two things are related but can be independent, because it is possible to research health and sickness without curing specific patients, and it is possible to cure a patient without knowing how the cure worked.
hi
Just a little question. How does one calculate the power of a QCL by theory? Is there any free software that allows one to calculate the power of a inputted laser medium for a qcl?
Thanks.
Adrian
Homework Statement
Let ##U_1, U_2, U_3## be independent uniform on ##[0,1]##.
a) Find the joint density function of ##U_{(1)}, U_{(2)}, U_{(3)}##.
b) The locations of three gas stations are independently and randomly placed along a mile of highway. What is the probability that no two gas...
So, basically, multiverse make sense because we can't imagine our universe standing in nothing(or being everything that just expands itself).
If we take this principle, we should have a multi-multiverse, a multi-multi-multiverse and so on. (When the chain ends?).
Is it more evidence to support...
Hello Everyone,
I am trying to write the intersection of a physical problem in the most compact way.
I am not really familiar with Set Theory notation, but I think it has the answer.
It is about the intersection of two circular areas:
- Area 1: A
- Area 2: B
If I want to write this in Set...
Homework Statement
Prove the following for a given universe U
A⊆B if and only if A∩(B compliment) = ∅
Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution
Assume A,B, (B compliment) are not ∅
if A∩(B compliment) = ∅, x∈A ∨ x∈ (B compliment), but not both
If x∈A ∧ x∉(B compliment), then x∈B , because...
This isn't explained anywhere so it must be super basic and I'll probably kick myself for not getting it, but on the wiki page for time independent perturbation theory, section 3.1:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perturbation_theory_(quantum_mechanics)
It talks about first order corrections and...
Was there any need or utility or aim, for which Cantor created his theory? Did Cantor's theory clear any of the problems which existed before?
(Though my user name is Cantor, I don't know lot about him or his theory :biggrin:)
Reddit...
- The wavelength of light doesn't change at all in the galaxies because the space of the galaxies doesn't expand.
- The wavelength of light should be different when it passes through the galaxy or not. However, this is contradictory to the observed result. So, the big bang theory is wrong.
Hey, I am currently busy with studying solid state physics and looking at diffraction theory. Following link explains Frauenhofer diffraction pretty good: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/phyopt/mulslid.html#c3
Let's assume a N=6 multiple slits. Its diffraction pattern depends on slit...
Hello
My friend claims that the theory of electron superposition has been overturned recently. That this was due to measurement errors, and that electrons fly like orbs and planets in orbits, but I can not find any sources.
I am asking for an answer, thank you very much.
(I'm sorry, I have no...
Homework Statement
Show that, in the Debye theory, the number of excited vibrational modes in the frequency range ##\nu## to ##\nu+d\nu##, at temperature T, is proportional to x2e-x, where ##x=h\nu/kT##. The maximum in this function occurs at a frequency ##\nu'=2kT/h##; hence ##\nu'→0## as...
Homework Statement
Hi all, I have some difficulty understanding the following problem, help is greatly appreciated!
Let ##U_1, U_2, U_3## be independent random variables uniform on ##[0,1]##. Find the probability that the roots of the quadratic ##U_1 x^2 + U_2 x + U3## are real.
Homework...
Alright guys...for the past month and a half my chemistry class consisted on lectures on chemical bonding.
From the days of Kossel and Lewis
To modern concepts of VSEPR,Hybridisation and Molecular orbital theory.
According to Wikipedia they say the two basic models based on quantum mechanics...
Homework Statement
Let ##S = \{(x_1, \dots, x_p) \mid x_i \in G, x_1 x_2 \cdots x_p = e\}##.
Let ##C_p## denote cyclic subgroup of ##S_p## of order ##p## generated by the ##p##-cycle, ##\sigma = (1 \, 2 \, \cdots \, p)##. Show that the following rule gives an action of ##C_p## on ##S##
$$...
This is a topic I've mentioned a few times before. Essentially the structure of matter in quantum gauge field theories is unclear to me. I have no clear question here, just some initial discussion points.
So at the first level, it seems a particle based view of quantum field theory is difficult...
Homework Statement
For this question , I tried to use L' = L -2e and B '= B , i ended up getting different final answer when i use L ' = L , B'= B -2e
In the notes , we can see that if the eccentricity were in the direction of length of the foundation , L '= L-2e , and B'= B ...
But , in this...
All the literature on the quantum eraser that I've seen is grounded in the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics. It's very easy to understand the experiment in those terms.
Do you know how quantum eraser experiments are interpreted by the de Broglie–Bohm theory? What is erased in this...
Bohmian mechanics requires a preferred reference frame. But String theory doesn't have any preferred frames, so isn't BM incompatible with ST?? Maybe it would be compatible with other theories of quantum gravity that permit a preferred frame (LQG, CDT)...
Homework Statement
Decide all abelian groups of order 675. Find an element of order 45 in each one of the groups, if it exists.
Homework Equations /propositions/definitions[/B]
Fundamental Theorem of Finite Abelian Groups
Lagrange's Theorem and its corollaries (not sure if helpful for this...
Hi guys, something has been bugging me for a while now and I thought I’d just ask it here in the hope someone can explain it to me.
Ever since Elon Musk brought it up, I’ve been thinking about the simulation theory (I know it’s not his original idea, it’s just the event that brought it to my...
Earlier this morning I came across this article -- https://phys.org/news/2018-09-errors-quantum-world.html -- which is about an open for all article in Nature Communications -- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-05739-8
I've yet to fully work through the paper, but if this thread is...
Take the first family of fundamental fermions, u, d, e-, and ν. The u and d are more massive than the e- and the e- is more massive than the ν. The u and d interact via 4 forces, the e- interacts via 3 forces, and the ν interacts via 2 forces. The fermions that interact via the most forces are...
Homework Statement
[/B]
Hi all, I have an issue understanding the concepts pertaining to the following problem, assistance is greatly appreciated.
I understand the "flow" of the problem; first find the probability of obtaining balls of the same colour, then use the geometric distribution...
I would like to learn (self-study) the theory behind the n-dimensional Riemann integral (multiple Riemann integrals, not Lebesgue integral). I am from Croatia and found lecture notes which Croatian students use but they are not suitable for self-study. The notes seem to be based on the book: J...
Do the the different calabi-yau space solutions of strings theory exist is isolated space-times or are they a part of a continuous whole with space folding and unfolding as you move though space?
I have been reading some papers from G.F. Chew and S. C. Frautschi and they do not even bother to introduce the concept of "Field" when they describe hadron interactions. My impression is that they do not need to because interactions seem to be described by single Regge-trajectories. However...
Homework Statement
Discrete random variables ##X,Y,Z## are mutually independent if for all ##x_i, y_j, z_k##,
$$P(X=x_i \wedge Y=y_j \wedge Z=z_k ) = P(X=x_i)P(Y=y_j)P(Z=z_k )$$
I am trying to show (or trying to understand how someone has shown) that ##X,Y## are also independent as a result...
I know it's hard to predict but what are the probable outcomes? When I hear about the theory of everything in different situations it always makes me feel that we really want to believe that it will be a final fundamental theory. How could the theoretical work look like after its success...
I am reading Steve Awodey's book: Category Theory (Second Edition) and am focused on Section 1.5 Isomorphisms ...
I need some further help in order to fully understand some aspects of Definition 1.4, Page 12 ... ...
The start of Section 1.5, including Definition 1.4 ... reads as...
I am reading Steve Awodey's book: Category Theory (Second Edition) and am focused on Section 1.5 Isomorphisms ...
I need some further help in order to fully understand some further aspects of Definition 1.3, Page 12, including some remarks Awodey makes after the text of the definition ... ...
Homework Statement
Hi all, could someone give my working a quick skim to see if it checks out? Many thanks in advance.
Suppose that 5 cards are dealt from a 52-card deck. What is the probability of drawing at least two kings given that there is at least one king?Homework Equations
The Attempt...
Homework Statement
Problem:
We want a closed loop control loop for the given process (see bode plot), the control loop requirements are:
Steady state error needs to be zero.
The gain margin needs to be infinite.
The phase margin needs to be 40 degrees.
Questions:
Which controller will be...
I am reading Tom Leinster's book: "Basic Category Theory" and am focused on Chapter 1: Introduction where Leinster explains the basic idea of universal properties ...
I need help in order to fully understand the proof of Lemma 0.7 ...
Lemma 0.7 and its proof read as follows:In the above proof...
Hello,
i would like to ask You a question about difference in results between Euler-Bernoulli method of analysis of stress in short slender beam and 3D FEA method mentioned in ansys aim tutorial here: https://confluence.cornell.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=33636829
The problem looks like...
Suppose that ##n,j \in \mathbb{N}##, ##j \in [0, n-1]##, and ##n~|~2j##. Why is it the case that ##j = 0## or ##2j = n##? This is used in a proof of something else, but I am getting tripped up on this part. I know it has to do with the fact that ##j \in [0, n-1]##. Is it because ##n## can't ever...
Physics could be fundamentally discrete. Are their any notable theories that have discrete mathematics at its core and have QM, GR and differential equations in general as emergent features?
This is a thought experiment, and I am making it as simple as possible. It all takes place out in space. It is necessary to create something that is like a common nail with a large head. It is made of the most ridge material possible, something that is held together by the most potent force...
<Moderator's note: Moved from homework.>
Hi all, I have an issue understanding a statement I read in my text.
It first states the following Proposition (Let's call it Proposition A):
The number of unordered samples of ##r## objects selected from ##n## objects without replacement is ##n...
There are several interpretations of QM which differ from being deterministic or non deterministic, with or without hidden variables and local or non-local. As I understand it ST poses the existence of vibrating strings, that is, physical objects with definite properties, moving along a world...
Have thought about this for sometime but couldn't get deeper.
I have speculated that wave-particle duality is a direct result of the relativity theory. Especially it could arise from the factor of length contraction (dimensionality reduction). So far, the particle reality is based on various...
I'm a speculative fiction writer and playwright, a retired archirect with a master of architecture degree in theory, and a theater producer, director, and acting improvisor. I'm currently working on a TV series of 169 episodes exploring life in a contemporary parallel universe very much like...
I found an article written by physicist George Ellis that confused me a little.
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.498.4569&rep=rep1&type=pdf
At some part, he says:
3.2 Non-uniqueness:
Possibilities There is non-uniqueness at both steps. Stating “all that is possible...
Jacob Bekenstein asserts that the entropy of a black hole is proportional to its area rather than its volume. Wow.
After watching Leonard Susskind's video 'The World as a Hologram', it seems to me that he's implying that we are all black hole stuff. Perhaps we (our galaxies and their black...
Lately AdS/CFT seems to have been a very promising tool to simplify calculations in HEP (ex. quark-gluon plasma) and offer some insights into quantum gravity. I was considering doing a Master or PhD thesis in this field, but I'm wondering if the prospects are more reasonable than just string...
What can 'game theory' tell us about life? The prisoner's dilemma is an issue of Pareto optimality, wherein the best possible outcome is one where both parties cooperate with each other to derive the highest Pareto optimality. But, the issue is that the highest Pareto optimality for the...