Is spacetime in string theory 4D or 12D?

There are also other theories like E8 gauge theory which are in higher dimensions. In summary, spacetime in string theory can be either 4D through compactification or can exist in higher dimensions like 11D or 12D in other theories such as M-theory or E8 gauge theory. The exact number of dimensions in these theories is still unknown.
  • #1
ensabah6
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Spacetime is 3D + 1T = 4D

Is spacetime in string theory 4D as a result of compactification, or 12D, 11D+1T?
 
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  • #2
No one really knows how many dimensions m-theory has. The highest dimensional low energy limit is 11d (10 +1T) supergravity, the other 5 being the superstring theories in 10D (9+1T). There is a higher dimensional version of it,"E8 gauge theory", in 12D (11+1). I don't anything about it, but I am trying.
 
  • #3
ensabah6 said:
Is spacetime in string theory 4D as a result of compactification, or 12D, 11D+1T?

In superstring theory (the "usual" string theory) spacetime must be 10D, so we have to consider the extra six dimensions as being compact and small. Any other reason why they "should" be like this is unknown. M-theory is 11D and F-theory is 12D; these are not string theories, but are related to them by some compactifications to 10D.
 

Related to Is spacetime in string theory 4D or 12D?

1. What is string theory?

String theory is a theoretical framework that attempts to reconcile gravity with quantum mechanics by describing the fundamental building blocks of the universe as tiny strings rather than point-like particles.

2. How many dimensions does string theory require?

String theory requires 10 dimensions to be consistent. However, it is often extended to 11 dimensions in order to incorporate supergravity, a supersymmetric version of general relativity.

3. Is spacetime in string theory 4D or 12D?

The answer is both. In the original version of string theory, spacetime is 10-dimensional. However, in more recent developments, it has been proposed that there may be additional curled-up dimensions, bringing the total to 11 or 12 dimensions.

4. How do these extra dimensions affect our understanding of spacetime?

The additional dimensions in string theory allow for more complex structures and interactions between particles, which may help to resolve some of the issues that arise in traditional 4-dimensional spacetime. However, these extra dimensions are currently only theoretical and have not been observed or confirmed.

5. Is there any evidence for the existence of these extra dimensions?

At this time, there is no direct evidence for the existence of extra dimensions in string theory. However, some indirect evidence has been found in certain astrophysical observations and experiments, such as the behavior of cosmic rays and the results of particle collider experiments.

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