Einsteinian Gravity

In his Theory of Relativity, Einstein concluded that gravity was due to the apparent curvature of spacetime. Large masses warped, curved, or bent spacetime near themselves. The warped geometry of spacetime would cause matter in motion to alter its course1. This curved geometry caused the shortest, most direct, and least energetic (most preferred) path for matter in motion to be modified by the bending.

Einstein, in his theory of relativity, predicted that the strength of the gravitational field would be proportional to the sum total of the bending of spacetime by each of the (two) masses.

Einstein spent the later years of his life attempting to combine the description of gravity contained within the Special Theory of Relativity with what was known about the other basic forces in the universe, to attempt to come up with a Unified Field Theory. The Unified Field Theory would explain all forces of nature in the simplest possible terms, with all forces derived from the same basic concept. He was never successful in achieving a theory which would unify the four basic forces.

The Unified Field Theory would do for physics what the atomic theory had done for chemistry. In chemistry, the atomic theory had provided the insights which allowed scientists to break down and assign all known observable matter into basic elements. These 92 naturally occurring elements were the basis of all matter. The periodic table classifying these elements explained the similarities among families of elements, and these families of elements created similar compounds. Almost every observation and question in chemistry was cleared up by the success of the atomic theory.

It was only the introduction of sub-atomic particle physics that challenged the simple view of the atomic theory. Nowadays, the simple atomic theory is useless in explaining the proliferation of families of sub-atomic particles which in turn, occur during the breakup of atomic particles.

Physicists hope to arrive at a similar organization for the families of sub-atomic particles, which will do for that collection what the periodic table did for chemistry.

In the same manner, the four forces and their proposed particles of interchange may be more simplified, with a common underlying structure. The current hope is that by calling upon special resonances in some of the possibly more than 3 dimensions, the interacting carrier particles of the basic forces may even become the same particle2.

At the forefront of physics, new theories, such as Superstrings, will attempt to achieve a unified field theory. These theories will try to assess one ultimate cause, resonances, which will explain all of the four basic forces and all of the multitudinous sub-atomic particles. Each particle and each force, at each energy level will be expressed as a sum of resonances. Each unique particle will be specified from a master menu, relative to the same terms, and the same units. Another analogy: Consider a series of chords played on a piano. Each individual chord is achieved as a sum of resonances on certain strings with a given initial input of energy. The resonances change for each different chord, but the piano (source) remains unchanged.

To use the above analogy further, imagine this. We have a basic unit of spacetime. For the sake of argument, let us say that this imaginary spacetime has 11 dimensions. Three dimensions will be the normal length, depth, and width. One will represent time. The others will be conveniently looped-up, rolled into neat little loops.

Consider the filament of a lightbulb. The long piece of tungsten thread is looped into small circular loops, each about the diameter of a pinpoint, to shrink it's total length. This looped cord is now looped once again, to about the diameter of a pin. This cord of loops is yet again looped to about a pencil lead's width. Using this method, a tungsten thread about 21 inches long fits neatly into an inch long filament in a lightbulb.

To return to our basic particle analogy, let us consider the "loops" as curled up within any one of the unused 8 micro-dimensions. With a specific energy at resonance, one of the micro-dimensions might specify the majority of the energy-mass content of the proton and the neutron. Another dimension might specify the difference between a neutrino and a photon.

Clearly, the multiple-resonance string analogy might suffice to account for the seeming plethora of sub-atomic particles, and the similarities between families of ighter and more massive particles, such as the electron and the muon. This would also explain differences in the family groupings, such as hadrons, baryons, leptons, and the like.

Conventional theories such as the Special Theory of Relativity can predict gravitational interactions with a degree of precision nearly unrivalled in the scientific realm. Nonetheless, a true and total understanding of gravity, and it's cause, remains a yet to be discovered and yet to be incorporated element of any of the GUT's (Grand Unified Theories)