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>> Me: >> The number 10 comes up because there are 10 and only 10 ways time and the >> three dimensions of space can be expressed in pairs.
Michael S. Lorrey <retroman@together.net>
>John, please explain this. I count the following:
>for dimensions x,y,z, and t:
>x,t
>x,y
>x,z
>y,t
>y,z
>z,t
>so unless you count x,x y,y z,z and t,t, then you only have six pairs.
The double pairs do count so you have 10, but it's true that the physical (not mathematical) meaning of such double pairs is not intuitively obvious.
>If you count double pairs like that, why not reverse pairs as well?
Because the gravitational force that point particle A has on particle B is symmetrical to the gravitational force point particle B has on particle A. If you reverse the particles there is no need to conjure up a new dimension to figure out the new gravitational field, just change a few constants from 1 to -1 and you can still get by with 10 dimensions.
John K Clark jonkc@att.net
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