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A Simple Experiment Testing Quantum Mechanics and Gravity

ORAL

Abstract

Quantum Astrobiology Center along with University of Houston and another Texas university will perform a novel experiment testing Planck masses and gravity. This research began with cosmology, an expanding Universe of scale R = ct, where c is speed of light and t is age of Universe. Gravity would then cause expansion to slow over time. The surprising prediction of the speed of light varying by 0.72 cm/sec/yr has been verified by data from our Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment, and may be further tested by the Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space aboard ISS. In Planck units two equations combine as M = R = t, suggesting that these tiny units are fundamental. The Planck mass is an observable quantity similar to a flea’s egg. We place two spherical masses on a level low-friction surface, grounded within a vacuum chamber, and observe for gravitational attraction. A negative result suggests that gravitational mass is quantized at the Planck scale. Quantum mechanics has applications for astrobiology and living cells, explaining why most cells are limited by the Planck mass. This continuing research may connect cosmology of the large Universe with the microscopic world.

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Authors

  • Louise Riofrio

    Insight Optics

  • Chao Ma

    University of Texas at Arlington, Florida International University, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas A&M University–Commerce, University of Houston Downtown, Texas A\&M University, Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Physics, MSEC, Texas State University, Ingram School of Engineering, MSEC, Texas State University, MSEC, Texas State University, Ingram School of Engineering, Texas State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707, USA, Department of Electrical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA, Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, University of San Francisco, University of Wuppertal, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Houston, University of Texas at Dallas, Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy, Texas A & M University, Center for Neutrino Physics, Department of Physics Virginia Tech, None, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Dallas, Department of Electrical Engineering, Yale University