Carved in Stone
Unlike many schools, the University of Virginia did not have any full-time researchers. Every professor was expected carry some of the class load, in order to remain in touch with the student body. Dr. Rolf Grosskopf taught only two classes a week: physics for the ten lab assistants who worked for him. His curriculum was non-standard to say the least. Whenever possible lessons would be “hands-on”, using available equipment to see and manipulate the subject. The classes were effectively an extension of his research time during which he lectured almost continuously.
“Today clazz, for zee benefit of our freshmen und zome of zee schlower zophomores, ve vill be schtudying zee schtructure of matter az explained by Schtring Zheory. Who has heard of Schtring Zheory before?”
Six of the ten students raised their hands.
“Und how many of you underztand zee zheory.”
Only two hands remained up.
“I put it to you zhat you are wrong. Zhere are less than zeven people in zee entire vorld who truly underschtand Schtring Zheory in zuch a vay zhat zhey can use it for a practical purpose. Vun does not underschtand a zhing until he can control zee zhing! Al-zo, even a child today knows zhat objects are made of molecular schtructures. Many of zhem know zhat atoms form zhose schtructures und atoms are made of neutrons, protons und electrons. Can anyvun tell me vhat zhose objects, previously conzidered fundamental, are built of?”
To Grosskopf’s delight all ten students responded.
“Goot, goot. Ms. Vashington.”
A rather unattractive girl with heavy eyes and pimply complexion stood and recited, “Protons and neutrons are made of a class of matter called hadrons. There are over a hundred of these elementary particles which are in turn made of quarks or anti-quarks. Electrons are themselves considered hadrons and fall into the lepton category which includes the muon and tau along with their neutrinos. There is an associated group called the force carriers which consists of photons, gluons, Z and W bosons.”
“Zhank you. Before ve move on, I vant you to have an idea of vhat really big numbers ve are talking about when ve move to zee very schmall end of zee zize schcale. Zience tells us zhat zhere are roughly 1.67 × 1022 molecules of H2O in a drop of vater. Zhat iz 16.7 Zextillions (no giggling please!) or 167 Qvintillion, 1670 Qvadrillions, 16,700 Trillions or 167,000 Billions. For you computer geeks, a Billion iz a Gigabyte und a Trillion iz a Terabyte.” He held up a small plastic rectangle and continued, “Our drop of vater haz zee number of molecules eqval to 41,750 4 Gig flash drives. Vhy do you zhink zhere iz zuch effort to perfect qvantum computing? A zingle drop of vater vould be more powerful zhan zee fastest zupercomputers today.”
A low whistle echoed around the room.
“Now, as Ms. Vashington zo ably told us, each of zhose molecules iz ultimately made ov qvarks and anti-qvarks. Who can tell me vhat each of zhose particles iz made ov?”
Two students had claimed to understand String Theory earlier. Now only Simon was brave enough to speak-up. “Sir. String Theory says that quarks and anti-quarks are made of bits of energy much like a piece of string. The shape of the string and the frequency at which it vibrates determines which quark or anti-quark we perceive it to be.”
“Very good, Zimon. As Einschtein zaid zo many years ago, all matter really iz energy in a different form. A more organized form.”
Several of the kids had very puzzled looks on their faces. Grosskopf appeared to have expected this because without a glance he moved to a desktop fan whose covering cage had been removed.
“You are vondering how a few bits of energy can feel zolid to you. Conzider zhis fan. Zhe schtructure iz a four-leaf clover. Vhile it iz schtationary I can eazily put my finger between zhe blades.”
He then spun the blades by hand and jabbed his finger at it.
“Vhen it moves schlowly I can ztill move qvickly through. However, if it iz turned on…” he flipped the switch and the fan whirred to life, “I vould zeverely bruize if not cut off my finger.” He shoved a carrot into the spinning fans which was chopped cleanly into several pieces.
“To you und I zhis fan iz now zolid, despite zee fact ve know it to be porous. In a zimilar way, vhat zay you of vind? It iz compozed of countless trillions of individual air molecules yet it can have zhe schtrength to lift you off zhe ground or tear a building apart. How about valking out into a very bright und hot zun? Do you feel zhe power of it beating upon you? Each of zhese examples schows zhat energy can produce a zense of zolidity to us. Zhe schape und vibration of zhe schtring creates a bubble or cocoon of energy into vhich nothing elze can enter. It bumps up against other zuch units und zheir relative attractive or repulsive forces organize atoms.”
A rather nervous freshman then raised his hand. “Professor, I still don’t understand.”
Grosskopf was a patient man, but he had expected even the worst of his students to follow the examples already given. When he spoke again it was more terse and severe.
“Do you accept zhat atoms make molecules make objects und zhat zhey feel zolid?”
“Yes.”
“Did you realize zhat zee average atom is 10-10 or .00000000001 meters? But zhe actual zize of zhe nucleus und electron vithin a hydrogen atom is only vun ten thousandths of zhat? In ozher vords, only vun in ten zhousand units ov mass in an atom iz a real zhing. Zhe rezt iz empty schpace. Zhis iz vhy very high energy rays can pass right zhrough us vithout effect. Zhey zimply mizz everything. Zhe zame iz true for every object you zee. Zertainly you trust zhat chair to hold you up, even zhough zhere is practically nozhing underneazh you at all.”
Some of the class nodded in understanding, others showed they were prepared to accept this on faith. One student, who up until now had said nothing, then raised his hand.
“Professor, there has been debate about what forms consciousness. Some German scientists in Omni magazine argue that a function as simple as sifting pebbles from water like a strainer does is the essence of consciousness. It makes a choice. Do you subscribe to that theory and if so, would you say that String Theory gives consciousness to sub-atomic particles? It appears that they choose what shape to assume and therefore which particle to be.”
Rolf took-up the student’s gaze and returned it fiercely. This idea must have struck a nerve with their teacher because a small twitch erupted on his right cheek.
“Zome of my countrymen are qvite attached to rules. If zomeone haz zaid it iz fact zhen zhey vill defend it to zee death. No matter how ridiculouz zheir conclusions are vhich schtem from zhose rules. I do not believe zhat tea schtrainers, zieves and coin zorters are, az zhe layman vould say, alive. Rahzer zee maker of zhose objects haz inschtilled into zheir nature und form a particular zet of choizes vhich zhey are compelled to obey. Zhey have no more ability to make a different decision zhan I have to grow my nose vizhout zurgery.”
The man who asked the question nodded quietly and said nothing. Grosskopf however had much more to say.
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