The value of this theory’s Immirzi parameter has been deduced by comparison with the entropy of black holes. For 10 points each:
[10m] Identify this competitor of string theory named for closed structures that can form a spin network.
ANSWER: loop quantum gravity [or LQG; prompt on quantum gravity or QG]
[10e] Some proposals for testing loop quantum gravity involve this type of radiation emitted by evaporating black holes.
ANSWER: Hawking radiation
[10h] A 2020 paper by Gambini et al. suggested using real examples of these variables to model rotating black holes in loop quantum gravity. These variables were introduced in 1986 to rewrite the Hamiltonian constraint in terms of triads.
ANSWER: Ashtekar (“ush-TAY-ker”) variables [accept real Ashtekar variables or complex Ashtekar variables or Ashtekar–Barbero variables]
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