unified field theory
unified field theory — idiom
1. a complex set of equations in physics that aims to describe electromagnetism and
a complex set of equations in physics that aims to describe electromagnetism and gravity as two expressions of a single underlying principle; a theory Albert Einstein worked on for decades but never completed
Einstein searched for a unified field theory for the last thirty years of his life.
search for + unified field theory — typical verb collocation
Dr. Okafor told her students that no complete unified field theory has been experimentally confirmed yet.
passive: has been experimentally confirmed
The mathematics of any unified field theory is far too advanced for most undergraduate courses.
A draft of Einstein's unified field theory was discovered among his private papers in Princeton.
Lin read three books on unified field theory while writing her PhD thesis in physics.
- theory of everything
A broader modern term for any theory uniting all fundamental forces, including the strong and weak nuclear forces; unified field theory only aimed to unite electromagnetism and gravity.
- grand unified theory
Shortened to GUT; specifically refers to theories that unify the strong, weak, and electromagnetic forces, usually without gravity — distinct from Einstein's original goal.
文法句型
a/the unified field theory
[possessive] unified field theory
用法筆記
This term refers specifically to Einstein's unfinished project; the modern search for a theory that unifies all fundamental forces is more often called a 'theory of everything' or a 'grand unified theory'.