[Robert]

This paragraph states that when looking at an electron through a hypothetical supermicroscope, we would see a tiny vibrating string, not a point particle.

Several questions come to mind when I try to visualize strings. I guess my first question is how many dimensions does a string have? I've read that a string is one dimensional, but if it is looped, doesn't it have 2 or 3 dimensions since a loop has a width and possibly a height? Or could the string be 1 dimensional and it just loops back on itself. If a string is 1 dimensional it can't really be seen right? Even if it does make a loop. So what good is imagining seeing the string if it cannot be seen, even in principle.

Also, how large is a string compared to the planck length. This is mentioned somewhere in the book, but I can't remember where. I think the string size is close to the planck length. If so, then space has no definition at this scale, since space is quantized, so the string would really be impossible to view with a supermicroscope.

One last point of confusion. Does a string really vibrate or is vibrate just a property used to describe a string and doesn't really mean vibrate in the usual sense. Similar to how color is a property of quarks where color doesn't mean color at all in the usual sense. Since quarks don't have a color do strings not really vibrate?

Regards,
--Robert