I can't conceive of anything beyond three physical dimensions

[Zolty]

String theory dictates that all the extra dimensions exist at planck length and thus cannot be seen by definition of planck length. So visualization is not necessary however a 4 spacial dimension object definatly blows the mind.

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: Atomicus
Time isn't linear if you consider the fact that in any instance in time there are in infinite number of possibilities. Thus the t wouldn't be a straight line, but a spherical projection outwards from the origin of X,Y, and Z.

Time is linear. You are confusing relativity with non-linear. This is classic Zeno's Paradox stuff.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: Zolty
String theory dictates that all the extra dimensions exist at planck length and thus cannot be seen by definition of planck length. So visualization is not necessary however a 4 spacial dimension object definatly blows the mind.

QFT

 

[BurnItDwn]

Oooohhh .. A tesseract!!!!

Here's what Wikipedia has to say about them ...... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesseract

Perhaps it will help you to visulalize or at the very least concieve it.

 

[funkymatt]

Originally posted by: PimpJuice

Originally posted by: funkymatt
4th dimension is time. it's pretty easy.. lemme make a drawing and post it.

Diagram

you have your 3d object and then a timeline. easy enough?

so its the arms of a stick figure?

haha yeah time is the arms of the stick figure.

 

[oboeguy]

Have fun (first google link for "animated 4D cube"). I used to sketch 2D projections of 4D hypercubes when I was stumped by a math problem. Haven't done it in years. Anyway, nobody can truly "see" 4D. Anybody who says differently is selling something (though most people can abstractly think of N dimensions).

 

[Trygve]

Originally posted by: archcommus
My physics professor the other day was discussing string theory and how it involves particle motion and oscillation in eight, nine, or even ten dimensions. Is it just me or is it not even possible to THINK of anything beyond the three basic phyiscal dimensions. No matter what, you think of x, y, and z, and that's it. Try to picture a box that has length, width, height, and...something else. Just can't do it.

It's just you. Visualizing higher dimensions takes a bit of getting used to because things are often counter-intuitive if you're used to three, and visualizing untying knots in higher dimensions takes some mental work (I think), but it's not really all that weird. It's just unfortunate that it's so hard to pick things up and turn them around physically in those extra dimensions.

 

[rh71]

see Threshold on CBS ? They bring this into light.

 

[archcommus]

The Wikipedia link cleared up some stuff, as did the dogfeathers animation. However I still find it odd that we say this thing "exists" physically yet it can't truly be seen. When I see a 3D object on my screen, I'm seeing 3D projected to 2D. Seeing 4D projected to 2D just doesn't do it justice. How can I see a 3D projection of a 4D object? In other words, a physical, tangible model of a hypercube. Is this possible?

I'm still not seeing how it's real. You build this hypercube thing with cubes the same way you build a cube with squares, starting with the classic "t" shape. But when you're done, it's still an object that can be measured in x, y, and z planes only. At least, that's how the 2D projection makes it seem.

 

[archcommus]

This is nice. http://www.keypress.com/sketchpad/javasketchpad/gallery/pages/hypercube.php

 

[cerebusPu]

reminds me of flatland. the 2d world where people can only imagine 2d and 1d things..and never 3d things.