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Planck length as the lower bound to all physical length scales

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Abstract

The effect of quantum fluctuations of gravity on the measurement of proper distances is considered. It is shown that, when the length scales are of the order of Planck length, the concept of a unique distance between points ceases to exist. It is also shown that the quantum expectation value of the proper length is bounded from below by Planck length in any space-time.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Astrophysics Group, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, 400 005, Bombay, India

    T. Padmanabhan

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  1. T. Padmanabhan
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Additional information

This essay received the fifth award from the Gravity Research Foundation for the year 1984-Ed.

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Padmanabhan, T. Planck length as the lower bound to all physical length scales. Gen Relat Gravit 17, 215–221 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00760244

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00760244

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