Fifth Dimension

In physics and mathematics, a string of N numbers, all in a row, can be understood to be a location in an N-dimensional space. When N=5, one of these numbers is sometimes colloquially called the fifth dimension. This usage may occur in casual discussions about the fourth dimension, which, in the context of physics, refers to time, coming after the first three spatial dimensions (up/down, left/right and forwards/backwards). Abstract, five dimensional space occurs frequently in mathematics, and is a perfectly legitimate construct. Whether or not the real universe in which we live is somehow five-dimensional is a topic that is debated and explored in several branches of physics, including astrophysics and particle physics.

Five dimensions in physics

In physics, the fifth dimension is a hypothetical dimension which would exist at a right angle to the fourth dimension. Some scientists have speculated that the graviton, a particle thought to carry the force of gravity, may "leak" into the fifth dimension which would explain how gravity is significantly weaker than the other three forces. The Kaluza-Klein theory attempted to use the fifth dimension to unify gravity with the electromagnetic force, but it required artifical additions. String Theory suggests that there are eleven dimensions, with the fifth through the eleventh dimensions "rolled up" to below the sub-atomic level.

Related Topics:
Fourth dimension - Graviton - Gravity - Kaluza-Klein theory - Electromagnetic force - String Theory

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