Planck length en · NOUN
Etymology
Named after Max Planck, who defined it.
Meanings
-
A unit of length, believed to be the scale at which quantum gravity effects become significant, that is defined in terms of the speed of light, the gravitational constant and the reduced Planck's constant, namely: ℓ_P=√hbar Gc³≈1.616 252(81)×10⁻³⁵ mbox m
As Dr. Feynman noted, there are still shorter scales of time and distance to go before we reach the ultimate limits imposed by quantum physics: the Planck length, 10^-33 of a centimeter, and the Planck time, 10^-43 of a second. Both are named for the German physicist Max Planck, who made the breakthrough that led to quantum mechanics.
2023 October 9, Dennis Overbye, “The Science Nobel Winners Were Short and Fast”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 12 Oct 2023:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planck lengths | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Relateds
Planck unit · superstring · Planck time · Planck scale
Translations (4)
ko 플랑크 길이 (unit of length, believed to be the scale at which quantum gravity effects become significant) · ja プランク長 (unit of length, believed to be the scale at which quantum gravity effects become significant) · fr longueur de Planck (unit of length, believed to be the scale at which quantum gravity effects become significant) · pl długość Plancka (unit of length, believed to be the scale at which quantum gravity effects become significant)