Is the Universe a Solid?

Explore the fascinating possibility that the vacuum is equivalent to an elastic solid. Believe it or not, this simple model has never been fully explored. It turns out that waves in an elastic solid satisfy the Dirac equation of quantum mechanics, yield the laws of Special Relativity, and produce a gravity-like attraction between wave packets! Whether correct or not, this model will certainly lead us to a better understanding of the physical universe.

Quantum Mechanics

The Dirac equation which describes elementary particles has the simple interpretation of torsion waves in an elastic medium. Along any axis there are four components of the wave function: right-handed moving up the axis, right-handed moving down the axis, left-handed moving up the axis, left-handed moving down the axis. For a given handedness the waves moving up and down the axis are separated by 180 degrees, implying that the two states transform under rotation with spin 1/2. Mass is related to the frequency of circulation of soliton waves. See R. A. Close, "Torsion Waves in Three Dimensions: Quantum Mechanics with a Twist," Foundations of Physics Letters, 15(1):71-83, Feb. 2002.

More work is needed to determine whether torsional solitons actually correspond to elementary particles. If not, how are they different?

Special Relativity

Special Relativity is usually understood as a fundamental property of space-time. However, the property of Lorentz invariance is not special to light waves and matter waves. All wave equations are Lorentz invariant. Lorentz transformations are obtained whenever waves are used to measure both time and distance. Light is 'special' because matter waves propagate at the same speed. Matter appears to move slower only because the wave packets propagate in curved paths (e.g. circles).

It should be noted that the speed of light is not directly measurable using matter. Rather, the numerical value of the speed of light is simply a conversion factor between the units of distance and the units of time (the meter is in fact defined as the distance light travels in 1/c seconds).

Gravity

If the vacuum behaves like an elastic solid, then gravity might be interpreted as compression of the solid. When a wire or rubber band is twisted under constant tension it contracts, thereby increasing the density and slowing the speed of torsion waves. Since waves refract toward regions of slower wave speed, the increased density in the vicinity of three-dimensional torsional wave packets would result in a mutual attraction between waves. In Einstein's general theory of relativity the speed of light differs in a gravitational potential relative to empty space, as measured in the empty space coordinates [see e.g. A. Einstein, The Meaning of Relativity, (Fifth Edition, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1956), p. 93]. At least to first order this difference in the speed of light is proportional to the gravitational potential. Therefore gravitational acceleration can be regarded, at least in a first approximation, as refraction of waves in a non-uniform medium.

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Created: November 2, 2001 Last updated: February 17, 2002

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