quantum gravity
Physics' deepest merger
Quantum gravity is the unfinished project of physics—the attempt to reconcile quantum mechanics (which governs the very small) with general relativity (which governs gravity and the very large).
The two theories are mathematically incompatible, yet both describe reality accurately in their domains.
String theory and loop quantum gravity are competing approaches to solving the problem.
No complete theory of quantum gravity exists; developing one would explain black hole interiors, the Big Bang, and whether spacetime itself is quantized.
Hypothetical gravity-carrying particle
- wavefunctionQuantum state's mathematical representation
Gravity as curved spacetime
- theory of everythingSingle model explaining existence
- fundamental forcesNature's four interaction types
- standard modelAccepted reference framework
- supersymmetryBosons mirror fermions theoretically
Deviation from flatness
- event horizonBlack hole's edge
- singularityPoint where values explode
- wormholeHypothetical spacetime tunnel
- geodesicShortest curved-surface path
Loud explosive noise
- inflationSustained price level increase
- dark energyForce accelerating universal expansion
- singularityPoint where values explode
- entropyQuantified chaos in systems
graviton
Hypothetical gravity-carrying particle
- wavefunctionQuantum state's mathematical representation
string theory
Filament-based particle framework
- supergravitySupersymmetric extension of relativity
general relativity
Gravity as curved spacetime
- theory of everythingSingle model explaining existence
- fundamental forcesNature's four interaction types
- standard modelAccepted reference framework
curvature
Deviation from flatness
- event horizonBlack hole's edge
- singularityPoint where values explode
- wormholeHypothetical spacetime tunnel
geodesic · manifold · causality · covariance
big bang
Loud explosive noise
- inflationSustained price level increase
- dark energyForce accelerating universal expansion
- singularityPoint where values explode
- gravitygraviton, gravitational pull, gravitational wave, gravitational force, gravitational collapse
- cosmic physicsdark energy, dark matter, black holes, gravitational waves, relativity
- scientific theoriesatomic theory, evolution, big bang theory, string theory, germ theory
- theoretical sciencephysics, mathematics, string theory, relativity, cosmology
- Gravity Theoriesgeneral relativity, supergravity, Kaluza-Klein theory, graviton, gravitons
- physicsphysics, momentum, atom, acceleration, force
quantum gravityclassical mechanics
Laws governing macroscopic motion
general relativity · electromagnetism · special relativity · thermodynamics · standard model