Sample interview questions: Can you describe a time when you encountered a problem that couldn’t be solved with existing theoretical frameworks?
Sample answer:
As a theoretical physicist, I have encountered numerous instances where problems could not be solved using existing theoretical frameworks. One such example was during my research on the behavior of particles in extreme gravitational fields.
In this particular study, I was investigating the behavior of particles near the event horizon of a black hole. Existing theoretical frameworks, such as general relativity, provided an excellent description of gravity in most situations. However, when it came to understanding the behavior of particles at the event horizon, the equations seemed to break down.
The existing framework did not fully account for the effects of quantum mechanics in this extreme gravitational regime. At the event horizon, where the gravitational pull is incredibly strong, quantum effects become significant. These effects, which are typically negligible in everyday situations, could not be ignored when dealing with the extreme conditions near a black hole.
To tackle this problem, I delved into the field of quantum gravity, which aims to unify general relativity and quantum mechanics. However, even within the realm of quantum gravity, there were no well-established theories to provide a complete understanding of the behavior of particles at the event horizon. This presented a significant challenge.
To address this issue, I explored various approaches, such as string theory, loop quantum gravity, and black hole thermodynamics. Each of these theories offered different pe… Read full answer
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