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The following is a list of notable unsolved problems grouped into broad areas of physics. [1]Some of the major unsolved problems in physics are theoretical, meaning that existing theories seem incapable of explaining a certain observed phenomenon or experimental result.
Depending on the Planck energy cutoff and other factors, the quantum vacuum energy contribution to the effective cosmological constant is calculated to be between 50 and as many as 120 orders of magnitude greater than observed, [1] [2] a state of affairs described by physicists as "the largest discrepancy between theory and experiment in all of ...
[1] [2] The list of papers whose results were later retracted or discredited, thus leading to invalid science, is growing. [3] Some errors are introduced when the experimenter's desire for a certain result unconsciously influences selection of data (a problem which is possible to avoid in some cases with double-blind protocols). [4]
The three-body problem is a special case of the n-body problem, which describes how n objects move under one of the physical forces, such as gravity. These problems have a global analytical solution in the form of a convergent power series, as was proven by Karl F. Sundman for n = 3 and by Qiudong Wang for n > 3 (see n-body problem for details
This article is a list of notable unsolved problems in astronomy. Problems may be theoretical or experimental. Theoretical problems result from inability of current theories to explain observed phenomena or experimental results. Experimental problems result from inability to test or investigate a proposed theory.
A prototypical example of a planetary problem is the Sun–Jupiter–Saturn system, where the mass of the Sun is about 1000 times larger than the masses of Jupiter or Saturn. [18] An approximate solution to the problem is to decompose it into n − 1 pairs of star–planet Kepler problems, treating interactions among the planets as perturbations.
Einstein himself considered the introduction of the cosmological constant in his 1917 paper founding cosmology as a "blunder". [3] The theory of general relativity predicted an expanding or contracting universe, but Einstein wanted a static universe which is an unchanging three-dimensional sphere, like the surface of a three-dimensional ball in four dimensions.
However, not only was the total proton spin carried by quarks far smaller than 100%, these results were consistent with almost zero (4–24% [3]) proton spin being carried by quarks. This surprising and puzzling result was termed the "proton spin crisis". [4] The problem is considered one of the important unsolved problems in physics. [5]