Standing waves on relativistic strings — the origin of particles in string theory
String type:
Mode n:
Superpose:
In string theory, each vibration mode of a fundamental string corresponds to a distinct particle species.
Open strings (endpoints fixed or free) satisfy Neumann/Dirichlet boundary conditions; their modes give gauge bosons.
Closed strings (periodic) give the graviton at mode n=2. Mass²= (n−1) in natural units — higher modes are massive.