2

Is the discrepancy between quantum mechanics and relativity only in the math involved or is it much deeper? That is, do the same interactions have different and non-comparable interpretations in both, or are the mathematical equations involved wrong with respect to each other?

What are some examples of this discrepancy?

How far along are we from an unified theory?

AP2261
  • 223
  • 1
    Special Relativity is 100% compatible with quantum mechanics. The standard model of physics is Lorentz invariant and the first successful attempt to combine the two, Dirac's equation, actually predicts spin and antimatter. But General relativity is a different story, because it talks about gravity not as a force but as a geometric property of space-time. I am not an expert in the field, but there are a couple of flaws when you try to quantize gravity, and string theory is one of the solutions to the problem - but it has no experimental proof – Ofek Gillon Nov 10 '18 at 14:06
  • the unified theory uses klein gordon and dirac and quantized maxwell equations to solve for quantum mechanical systems, and at a meta level quantum field theory. All these are 100% compatible with special relativity. – anna v Nov 10 '18 at 14:23
  • To reopen this post consider to clarify whether you are talking about special or general relativity. Also consider to only ask one subquestion per post. – Qmechanic Nov 10 '18 at 15:50

1 Answers1

1

The unified theory of particle physics, $\operatorname{SU}(3)\times \operatorname{SU}(2) \times \operatorname{U}(1)$, uses Klein Gordon and Dirac and quantized maxwell equations to solve for quantum mechanical systems, and at a meta level quantum field theory. All these are 100% compatible with special relativity.

If by relativity you mean General Relativity, GR, , i.e. quantization of gravity, yes , GR is not quantized definitively yet, i.e. there is no standard model. String theories have quantized gravity and unify it with the standard model of particle physics but there still is no definite model which can be tested for validity, as there are too many of them.

The discrepancy with the standard model is in the math involved , because GR is a deterministic classical theory, whereas the standard model of particle physics is based on quantum mechanics and probabilities.

anna v
  • 233,453