How Scientists Use Quantum Physics to Unravel the Secrets of our Universe
A journey into how the fundamental nature of reality at the smallest scales illuminates the universe's greatest mysteries
Quantum physics is the study of subatomic particles and their properties. As outer space and all matter in the universe are made up of subatomic particles, scientists are using quantum physics to understand more about the universe and its mysteries. This article explains a few topics that are considered by scientists to be mysteries of outer space, and how they use quantum physics to understand them better.
Supersymmetry
Scientists have been researching and trying to discover the fundamental laws of nature and physics. The laws of physics and the particles they govern exist because of many underlying and unknown symmetries. Some of these symmetries were lost during the Big Bang, when the singularity exploded into the universe. One such lost symmetry is called - the Supersymmetry. Just like every known particle has an antiparticle, Supersymmetry indicates that, by every known particle’s side, there also exists a superpartner particle. Particle accelerator experiments, like experiments with the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) are helping scientists uncover the role of supersymmetry and all the mysterious information it may hold about outer space.
Dark Energy
Dark Energy is a mysterious unknown force that fills the vacuum of outer space. While scientists don’t know why it exists, recent measurements using tools like telescopes and space probes have proved that dark energy exists. A calculation computed to determine the value of the dark energy needed to fill the vacuum is much more than scientists thought. It is over 10120 times larger than the amount scientists observe. To form dark energy, an unknown physical process needs to occur to eliminate most of the vacuum energy in outer space. Quantum physics points to a field, called the Higgs field. Without the Higgs field, electrons would move at the speed of light, and atoms would instantaneously break down and disintegrate. Supersymmetry also provides an explanation and context for the Higgs field and a possible explanation for the presence of dark energy.
Extra dimensions of space
String theory suggests particles as substances called the “superstrings”. These superstrings have different vibrations, but all of those vibrations are from a single particle. String theory brings the aspect of quantum into physics, using unique mathematical constructs. While it is hard to observe the superstrings directly beyond the mathematical constructs, string theory puts forth numerous predictions, including seven possible dimensions of outer space. This concept of extra dimensions is theoretical at present. Scientists don’t know what their shapes or sizes are, or information about where they are or how many there are. They also don’t know what new or extra particles come to life or already exist in the extra dimensions, or what particles are associated with the new extra dimensions of outer space. The main question that scientists are trying to answer is, “Are there really extra dimensions of space?”
Converging forces
Forces and particles in the universe may converge, or become one. There are multiple possibilities that make them converge. There is also a theory that perhaps all of the forces in the universe (including gravity) are just one force, only different branches of it. Just like a tree - there could be many pieces of wood, but they all belong to the same tree, just different pieces. This theory of a unified force helps relate quarks to leptons, and this force also could predict new ways to do particle conversion, where one particle changes its quantum state into another particle of a different type.
Dark Matter
Dark matter is the super glue of the universe that holds everything together. Without dark matter, the galaxies and stars wouldn’t even exist. If galaxies didn’t exist, then there would be no life, no Earth, no humans, no animals, nothing. Dark matter was only discovered and has been known to exist since the 1930s. Over the last two decades, scientists have understood more about the properties of dark matter. It is considered to be unique, and unlike any other matter in the universe. Scientists think that the lightest supersymmetric particle could be the particle of dark matter. Scientists are attempting to study dark matter directly, to understand this better. They can do this by creating dark matter particles at particle accelerators, where scientists can measure their properties and to understand their place in the cosmic picture