Monday, December 29, 2014

Dimensions

When 3D movies were introduced (reintroduced) in the 50s they had to explain what three dimensions meant. It was long after that I was introduced to the concept of time (t) as a forth dimension, and a band called the fifth dimension. Now as I understand it, physics is wrestling with how many dimensions there are; nine and twenty seven are the primary contenders.
First lets decide how to define dimension. I would select; a measurable non-derived property off an object in space, length, height and width fit nicely. We have to stretch that definition a little to include time. Since the others can change with time including time seems reasonable.
I propose several others: Orientation has three axes just as do the linear dimensions, pilots can relate to them as pitch, roll and yaw. or as linear dimensions are x, y and z the orientation dimensions are k,l and m.  Now we have seven.
Every point in space has a unique but changeable temperature (T). Density (D) is usually defined in term of mass per volume, but density could be a dimension itself if we were not locked into legacy definitions. (mass/volume). Maybe mass is really density times volume.
Could it be that the nine elusive dimensions are actually right in front of us. x,y,z,k,l,m,t,T,and D,

I thought that entropy and enthalpy might be fundamental, but since they are easily defined in terms of these nine, I think they can be considered derived units, along with the more bizarre like gravitational flux or maybe someone can name of the other 18.  I am doing this to liberate our thinking from the mold that insists that since 3 of the 4 commonly cited dimensions are linear, that rest should be similar. While I cite T as temperature, it could be some unit of intrinsic energy that encompasses temperature.



Anyway, I'm in way over my head, maybe someone can expand this train of logic.

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