Re: Waves vs Particles

Cecil Moore wrote:
K7ITM wrote:
I was asked for references. I would suggest as a starting point
Richard P. Feynman's lecture of April 3, 1962, which was an
introduction to quantum behavior. I think the whole of the lecture is
worthwhile, but especially the following paragraph:

In Feynman's introductory lecture number 1, he
says: "I want to emphasize that light comes in
this form - *particles*." Also: "... light is
made of *particles*." emphasis mine

Feynman's lecture number 2 is titled
"Photons" *Particles* of Light" He says:
"Quantum electrodynamics 'resolves' this wave-
particle duality by saying that light is made
of *particles*, ..." emphasis mine

If I understand it correctly, a cornerstone
concept of QED is that nothing exists except
particles.

Cecil, get Feynman's _Lectures on Physics_ Volume I, and
read the entirety of Chapter 38, "The Relation of Wave and
Particle Viewpoints." Quantum mechanics is a very successful attempt, using statistical methods, to explain the behavior of very small things.
In order to do that, it has to look at those things in very strange ways. If you want to read about the philosophical underpinnings
you should read chapter 8 of _Quantum Theory_
by David Bohm (a Dover reprint).
73,
Tom Donaly, KA6RUH
.

Relevant Pages

  • Quantum Mechanics according to Mark Mccutcheon
    ... I like the part where he attempted to debunk Quantum ... light behaving like both a wave and a particle. ... and in fact, waves in general. ... involves a barrier with two vertical slits, ...
    (sci.physics)
  • BITE My Big TOE
    ... The luminiferous aether: it was hypothesised that the two ... including condensed matter physics, quantum chemistry, and particle ... The cult of the hydrogen atom using a classical particle with no ... Some wave functions produce probability distributions ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: Photon Duality (Feynman doesnt know why, do you?)
    ... answered that there is no mystery to the particle duality. ... it is possible to do quantum physics without this idea. ... recorded at one or the other slit but not both. ... most popular books about quantum theory use an old predecessor ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: Superposed observers (was No new Einstein)
    ... chaotic process will quickly blow initial quantum scale ... > Now the probability that the photon is absorbed should be 1/4, ... >>say that a particle is entangled we are saying that some measurement ... >>entanglement is an empty concept ...
    (sci.physics.research)
  • Re: Superposed observers (was No new Einstein)
    ... existence of these gods makes so much sense and that quantum ... >> the photon crossing the superposed absorber undergoes a random phase ... As for entanglement, ... >say that a particle is entangled we are saying that some measurement ...
    (sci.physics.research)