On gravity as an entropic force
Creators
- 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.2011.07.019Additional 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.