Essay 4

This essay is worth 5% of your final grade and is due in two weeks, i.e. by 2:10PM on Wednesday January 30th. Please write about 4-4.5 pages (single-spaced) counting references.

QUESTION: What is String duality? What is M Theory?

INSTRUCTIONS:-

• Watch the remaining bulk of Episode 2 and all of Episode 3 of the NOVA “Elegant Universe” videos. In a similar style to Essay 3, give a summary of what you learned from watching these 2nd and 3rd NOVA videos. Emphasize the things that the documentary explained particularly well, and the things that helped your physics understanding the most. (Feel free to also critique a few things that you didn’t find especially helpful, but don’t make criticism your focus. Keep it positive.)
• When you’re writing, weave together this NOVA video material with what you’ve learned in class. It is essential that you answer two questions in your exposition: (a) What is string duality? If you need an example, use T-duality. (b) What is M theory and why would anyone care?

RESOURCES

• What about references? Please use only (1) NOVA videos, (2) Greene textbook (Chapter 12 especially), (3) my lecture notes. If you find another reference you want to use, please check it with me first. This rule exists for your protection because very few good online sources exist for this advanced material.
• Please remember to correctly reference your sources, just like in previous essays. In particular, I want to see time codes for movie references – e.g. “NOVA video 2 (15:18)” would mean 15min 18sec from the beginning of the 2nd video. For the textbook please quote the page number instead, and for lecture notes quote the page number and the date of the class.
• Don’t forget that I’m able to answer any physics questions about string duality or M theory in person, either during office hours or during a private appointment pre-booked by email. I also recommend Skype text (to kiwinerd) as a great way to have a conversation that’s easily cut and pasted.