Q. The terms ‘Event Horizon’, ‘Singularity’, ‘String Theory’ and ‘Standard Model’ are sometimes seen in the news in the context of

  • Observation and understanding of the Universe
  • Study of the solar and the lunar eclipses
  • Placing satellites in the orbit of the Earth
  • Origin and evolution of living organisms on the Earth

Answer: (a) Observation and understanding of the Universe

Notes:

  • The standard model of particle physics is a mathematical model that describes electromagnetism, the strong and weak nuclear forces, and the Higgs mechanism.
  • String theory is used in the context of quantum physics that is used to understand quantum phenomena.
  • The basic structure of a black hole consists of a singularity hidden by an event horizon.
  • Within the event horizon, the escape velocity exceeds the velocity of the light and an object is trapped forever.
black hole
String Theory
  • String Theory is a theoretical framework in which the point-like particles of particle physics are replaced by one-dimensional objects called strings.
  • String theory describes how these strings propagate through space and interact with each other.
  • On distance scales larger than the string scale, a string looks just like an ordinary particle, with its mass, charge, and other properties determined by the vibrational state of the string.
  • In string theory, one of the many vibrational states of the string corresponds to the graviton, a quantum mechanical particle that carries the gravitational force. Thus, string theory is a theory of quantum gravity.