introduction
With Albert Einstein's relativity theories (Special Relativity,1905, and General Relativity,
1915) and with quantum theory physicists have been able to reduce all physical forces in
the Universe to four basic types; electromagnetic, gravitational, weak nuclear, and strong
nuclear. While three of the forces, electromagnetic, weak nuclear, and strong nuclear
have been significantly related to each other through quantum theory, it has not yet been
possible to relate all four of these forces to each other in a logical, straight-forward way. I
believe that I have come up with an approach to describing physical laws in such a way
that a straight forward unification is possible. This approach is based upon an alternative
explanation to the presently well accepted explanation of the creation and expansion of
the Universe, the "Big Bang" theory. Instead of assuming that the Universe is simply the
result of a primordial big bang, assume instead that at one time the Universe existed in a
condition of unity, similar to the unity that is assumed to have existed before the big bang,
and that time and space as we know it began when the size of space, measured in terms
of the velocity of light and comprised of fundamental units of space of a length
approximately equal to Planck's length, began when the velocity of light and these
fundamental units of space began to contract relative to themselves and relative to the
overall size of the Universe. With this view there can still be a degree of actual expansion
of the overall size of the Universe accompanying the contraction of the size of the
fundamental units of space within the Universe, and the combination of this expansion
and contraction would produce the Universe we see today. This point of view means that
time and space within the Universe began as the result of a "big shrink".
With this view all entities comprised of energy and matter would also contract with time,
generally at the same rate as the contraction of the speed of light, and consequently a
constant relative size for all entities within the Universe is maintained. Also with this view,
the wavelengths of radiation released by distant galaxies in the past would have been
longer when they were initially released because the size of all entities was larger in the
past. However, the wavelengths of that radiation will contract with time as it moves
through space, but also, the basic units of space that lay between the nodes of the waves
will also contract with time, this causing an apparent expansion of the wavelength, and
this being manifested as a red shift. This point of view means that time and space within
the Universe began as the result of a "big shrink".
1915) and with quantum theory physicists have been able to reduce all physical forces in
the Universe to four basic types; electromagnetic, gravitational, weak nuclear, and strong
nuclear. While three of the forces, electromagnetic, weak nuclear, and strong nuclear
have been significantly related to each other through quantum theory, it has not yet been
possible to relate all four of these forces to each other in a logical, straight-forward way. I
believe that I have come up with an approach to describing physical laws in such a way
that a straight forward unification is possible. This approach is based upon an alternative
explanation to the presently well accepted explanation of the creation and expansion of
the Universe, the "Big Bang" theory. Instead of assuming that the Universe is simply the
result of a primordial big bang, assume instead that at one time the Universe existed in a
condition of unity, similar to the unity that is assumed to have existed before the big bang,
and that time and space as we know it began when the size of space, measured in terms
of the velocity of light and comprised of fundamental units of space of a length
approximately equal to Planck's length, began when the velocity of light and these
fundamental units of space began to contract relative to themselves and relative to the
overall size of the Universe. With this view there can still be a degree of actual expansion
of the overall size of the Universe accompanying the contraction of the size of the
fundamental units of space within the Universe, and the combination of this expansion
and contraction would produce the Universe we see today. This point of view means that
time and space within the Universe began as the result of a "big shrink".
With this view all entities comprised of energy and matter would also contract with time,
generally at the same rate as the contraction of the speed of light, and consequently a
constant relative size for all entities within the Universe is maintained. Also with this view,
the wavelengths of radiation released by distant galaxies in the past would have been
longer when they were initially released because the size of all entities was larger in the
past. However, the wavelengths of that radiation will contract with time as it moves
through space, but also, the basic units of space that lay between the nodes of the waves
will also contract with time, this causing an apparent expansion of the wavelength, and
this being manifested as a red shift. This point of view means that time and space within
the Universe began as the result of a "big shrink".
An objection that some may have to this concept is that this then means that energy and
mass are being lost in the process. However, it is possible that the rate of contraction is
only great at the initial stages of the Universe's creation, the first few nanoseconds or so,
when, according to present day thought, the Universe expanded at an extreme rate, and
the primordial energy of the initial singularity differentiated into the forms of energy that
we perceive now. Thus, in terms of the contraction approach, at this stage there would
not be a loss of energy, but instead simply a differentiation, or breaking down, of the
primordial energy into present forms of energy. After this stage the rate of contraction
can be so small (on the order of -1/T^2 per second, where T is the present age of the
Universe in seconds, this rate determined by the calculated size of the observable
Universe and an assumed present day rate of apparent expansion of the observable
Universe of approximately c, the speed of light) that the rate of loss of matter-energy due
to contraction would be such that the loss in mass-energy can be accounted for in terms
of undetected mass-energy. After all, presently physicists believe that a large portion of
the original mass-energy of the Universe is still unaccounted for.
mass are being lost in the process. However, it is possible that the rate of contraction is
only great at the initial stages of the Universe's creation, the first few nanoseconds or so,
when, according to present day thought, the Universe expanded at an extreme rate, and
the primordial energy of the initial singularity differentiated into the forms of energy that
we perceive now. Thus, in terms of the contraction approach, at this stage there would
not be a loss of energy, but instead simply a differentiation, or breaking down, of the
primordial energy into present forms of energy. After this stage the rate of contraction
can be so small (on the order of -1/T^2 per second, where T is the present age of the
Universe in seconds, this rate determined by the calculated size of the observable
Universe and an assumed present day rate of apparent expansion of the observable
Universe of approximately c, the speed of light) that the rate of loss of matter-energy due
to contraction would be such that the loss in mass-energy can be accounted for in terms
of undetected mass-energy. After all, presently physicists believe that a large portion of
the original mass-energy of the Universe is still unaccounted for.
It is also possible to interpret the contraction of space, mass and energy in such a way
that no relative mass-energy loss occurs. One must simply understand the contraction
in terms of a continual increase in a relative time dilation that applies to all entities within
the Universe, this actually defining each point in time. Thus, while there would be a
decrease in the volume of space that mass and energy occupy as time passes, there
would be no decrease in mass and energy, since the increasing time dilation would
cause a corresponding increase in mass-energy, this offsetting any loss of mass-energy
due to contraction. This approach will be explained in greater detail later.
that no relative mass-energy loss occurs. One must simply understand the contraction
in terms of a continual increase in a relative time dilation that applies to all entities within
the Universe, this actually defining each point in time. Thus, while there would be a
decrease in the volume of space that mass and energy occupy as time passes, there
would be no decrease in mass and energy, since the increasing time dilation would
cause a corresponding increase in mass-energy, this offsetting any loss of mass-energy
due to contraction. This approach will be explained in greater detail later.
On the following pages I will present a radically altered view of our Universe based upon
the contraction principle, and also attempt to show that by describing the concepts of
special relativity theory in terms of a contracting nature for space it is possible to derive a
solution for the problems presented by the quantum nature of motion directly from
relativity. This attempt is not complete and may not be exactly correct in every respect,
but I believe that it does show the potential of this approach. If this approach is valid it
would constitute the basis for a unified field theory, since all physical phenomena are
presently explained in terms of either relativity concepts or quantum theory concepts. I
believe that ultimately it can be shown that with the contraction approach all physical laws
can be derived with the use of four constants; the velocity of light, pi, Planck's constant,
and Tp (which I'll refer to as the age constant, approx. 2 x 10^17 sec, this also equal to
3.6x10^60 Planck time periods, which, when multiplied by 2, is approximately equal to the
measured age of the Universe.
the contraction principle, and also attempt to show that by describing the concepts of
special relativity theory in terms of a contracting nature for space it is possible to derive a
solution for the problems presented by the quantum nature of motion directly from
relativity. This attempt is not complete and may not be exactly correct in every respect,
but I believe that it does show the potential of this approach. If this approach is valid it
would constitute the basis for a unified field theory, since all physical phenomena are
presently explained in terms of either relativity concepts or quantum theory concepts. I
believe that ultimately it can be shown that with the contraction approach all physical laws
can be derived with the use of four constants; the velocity of light, pi, Planck's constant,
and Tp (which I'll refer to as the age constant, approx. 2 x 10^17 sec, this also equal to
3.6x10^60 Planck time periods, which, when multiplied by 2, is approximately equal to the
measured age of the Universe.
Richard Quist (copyright @ 1994, 2003)