Published August 26, 2011 | Version v1
Journal article

On gravity as an entropic force

  • 1. Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, 00014 Helsinki (Finland)

Description

We consider E. Verlinde's proposal that gravity is an entropic force - we shall call this theory entropic gravity (EG) - and reanalyze a recent claim that this theory is in contradiction with the observation of the gravitationally-bound ground state of neutrons in the GRANIT experiment. We find that EG does not necessarily contradict the existence of gravitationally-bound quantum states of neutrons in the Earth's gravitational field, since EG is equivalent to Newtonian gravity in this case. However, certain transitions between the gravitationally-bound quantum states of neutrons, in particular spontaneous decays of excited states, which can hopefully be observed in future experiments, cannot be explained in the framework of EG, unless essential ingredients are introduced into it. Otherwise, a quantized description of gravity will be required.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2011.07.019

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1016/j.physletb.2011.07.019;
arXiv
arXiv:1104.4650v2;
PII
S0370-2693(11)00797-0;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physics Letters. Section B
Journal Volume
702
Journal Issue
5
Journal Page Range
p. 419-421
ISSN
0370-2693
CODEN
PYLBAJ

INIS

Country of Publication
Netherlands
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
43057429
Subject category
S71: CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS;
Descriptors DEI
DECAY; ENTROPY; EXCITED STATES; GRAVITATION; GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS; NEUTRONS; QUANTUM STATES
Descriptors DEC
BARYONS; ELEMENTARY PARTICLES; ENERGY LEVELS; FERMIONS; HADRONS; NUCLEONS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES

Optional Information

Copyright
Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.