Introduction
If these one-dimensional strings really comprise the entire structure of the universe, they must certainly be able to move and interact in a variety of formats. Although there are many complicated arrangements of and between strings, only the most fundamental movements are shown due to the vast and theoretically never-ending number of possibilities.
Basic String Interaction
A string can sporadically separate into two separate strings.
Because strings are assumed to be the most fundamental structures known, their vibrations and oscillations determine what type of particle they comprise. For example, a certain type of vibration indicates that the string is part of a photon, electron, etc… Since strings theoretically exists everywhere, they are bound to collide into each other at some point. This collision can often result in the combination of two separate strings into one string. Conversely, a string can sporadically separate into two separate strings. Conceptually, the notion of strings moving through space and interacting with other strings illustrates the string as a sheet or a tube based on the type of string involved. With open strings, which may be depicted as simple lines, the image produced as the string travels through space is a sheet. With closed strings, which appear as circular or elliptical objects, the image that results when the string travels through space is a tube. Thus, many illustrations of string interactions show strings as sheets or tubes, rather than simply thread-like strings.
Sources and Links
- Greene, Brian. “The Elegant Universe.” Vintage Books, New York: 2003