Proton Dimensions, String Theory, and the Breit–Wheeler Photon Interaction

 

People ask me all the time tell me what are dimensions about String theory ?

 

Proton Dimensions, String Theory, and the Breit–Wheeler Photon Interaction

In the realm of particle physics, the proton is a composite particle made of three valence quarks bound together by gluons via the strong nuclear force. Unlike elementary particles such as electrons or photons, the proton has a measurable size—its charge radius is approximately 0.84 to 0.87 femtometers (1 femtometer = meters). This spatial extent arises from the dynamic internal structure of quarks and gluons, which constantly interact in a quantum sea.

By contrast, string theory proposes a radically different view of fundamental particles. Instead of being point-like, particles such as quarks and photons are envisioned as tiny vibrating strings, with a characteristic length scale near the Planck length (~ meters). This is 20 orders of magnitude smaller than the proton, suggesting that what we perceive as "point particles" might actually be extended objects in higher-dimensional space.

Now, consider the Breit–Wheeler process, a quantum electrodynamics (QED) phenomenon where two photons collide to produce an electron–positron pair. This process, first proposed in 1934, is a direct demonstration of mass–energy equivalence and the ability of light to create matter. Photons, being massless and point-like in the Standard Model, have no spatial extent. Yet, their interactions—especially at high energies—can probe the very fabric of spacetime.

In this context, the Breit–Wheeler process could be reinterpreted as a string interaction, where two closed strings (representing photons) merge and split into open strings (representing electrons and positrons). This view not only unifies particles and forces under a single framework but also hints at extra dimensions and quantum gravity effects that are invisible in the Standard Model.

🧩 Conclusion

The proton’s finite size contrasts sharply with the point-like nature of photons and the extended, sub-Planckian strings of string theory. While the Standard Model successfully describes phenomena like the Breit–Wheeler process, string theory offers a deeper, geometric interpretation—one that may ultimately bridge the gap between quantum mechanics and gravity.

 

Animation just illustration of photon mapping