The new quantum theory
– light quanta, quarks and black holes
An essay
by
Åke Hedberg
Kiruna, Sweden
All these fifty years of conscious brooding have brought me no nearer to the answer to the question, 'What are light quanta?' Nowadays every Tom, Dick and Harry thinks he knows it, but he is mistaken. (Albert Einstein, in a (last?) letter to his old friend M A Besso, 1954)
The quanta really are a hopeless mess. (Albert Einstein, On doing Quantum Theory calculations with W. Pauli)
I still do not believe that the statistical method of the Quantum Theory is the last word, but for the time being I am alone in my opinion. (Albert Einstein, On Quantum Theory,1936)
Quantum theory is certainly imposing. But an inner voice tells me that it is not yet the real thing. Quantum theory says a lot, but does not really bring us any closer to the secret of the Old One. I, at any rate, am convinced that He (God) does not throw dice. (Albert Einstein, On Quantum Physics, Letter to Max Born, December 12, 1926)
Even today after more than
a hundred years, no physicist knows what a light quantum is. Least of
what a quantum jump is. This is still the situation in modern physics
today. Anyone who thinks otherwise are wrong, as Einstein said. His
frustrating issue in the letter to his old friend just before he died
in 1955 is still unanswered, which may seem strange, but is a fact.
See for instance Lee Smolin: "In spite of much progress clarifying
foundational issues in quantummechanics, there remains persistent evidence
that quantum mechanics is an approximation to a deeper theory".
(Source: arXiv:quant-ph/0609109v1
14 Sep 2006).
Two questions, therefore, involving each other:
What is a quantum jump and what are light quanta?
The first question is, therefore, the general formulation of Einstein's specific, concrete terms about what is right for light. Issues that not only he, but virtually all physicists wondered whether sometime. Of course.
And what is the answer?
The short and simple answer is: a quantum jump is a jump or a leep between two fundamental states - the mechanical and the electromagnetic. But what does this mean? Mechanical and electromagnetic states? One answer is that this was Newton's and Maxwell's discoveries, and they also formulated laws through their mathematics and their formulas. Another is: they discovered nature's two opposing sides, and ways to move and behave.
Now the question is:
What is the deeper and real meaning of these two states? Mechanical and electromagnetic states. Actually.
And what are quarks and black holes? Do the belong to nature or a product of ignorance and fantasy?
*
The situation is today: Nobody knows. Or?
This essay is, that one can understand now I hope, an attempt to give a longer and deeper answer of Einstein's important and for whole of natural science absolutely critical issue. A response that can be logical, visually and therefore understandable, intelligible.
The current physics and cosmology does not describe our world and reality in a correct manner, rather in an incomplete and therefore misleading. The description is too mechanical, one-sided and superficial, resulting in a mystifying caricature. For instance quarks and black holes!
This know anyone who is familiar with the current scientific world view of history, its epistemology and mathematical formulas. It is not possible to get a vivid picture of a photon, an electron, a quark or any other basic physical properties, for example. Is not this weird? A bell call saying that something must be wrong. And it was this that Albert Einstein did not want to settle for, but opposed all his life. He heard the bell. Again and again he was opposed to a statistical interpretation ( "God does not play dice ...") and over again, he pointed out that quantum mechanics is not a full and true description and that not even the question of what the simplest light quantum is not resolved. This is a very serious shortage, then of course a theory of just ligth quanta must be fundamental for the whole of the modern theories. That is why Einstein's constant and protracted debate and dispute with Niels Bohr and his interpretation of our reality. (See:Bohr-Einstein_debates).
Einstein argued that there must be one, not yet discovered, underlying reality. And the absence of a functioning space-time model. In this, he has the support of many other physicists today. Of course.
First a few words about the new tools needed.
On this page I will for a long time to build a site on a complete quantum theory. A logical, visually and therefore understandable, intelligible theory. In order to as closely as possible to give a full presentation, I will show moving images combined with the usual static. Because this is important for understanding the new theory of quanta as though by its nature is simple but totally new and differs fundamentally from the old and incomplete theory from the beginning of last century. Important for the understanding are images, pictures not least mobile ones. But important is also the special (but wellknown) mathematics and geometry necessary for both an accurate description as for a good understanding.
While the new quantum theory leads to a theory of light quanta, we should start there: a review of light quanta, its structure and dynamics. Turning now to the structure of a light photon in the new theory, we must apply a new type of plane geometry, then this is not the only metric, that is not only about distances, lengths and surfaces but also on time and temporal surfaces. The current geometric models, the time always discriminated against in relation to the metric, with respect to distances and surfaces in meters. Why? Do not ask me. Perhaps because the ancient Greeks, only dealt with the soil measurement - with geometry. But now it's about something more - with spaces measured in time.This geometry is therefor both temporal and spatial – let us say chronometric. A more general and comprehensive geometry, so to speak. It is precisely this which straightens out all the martial art things in modern physics. Do not ask me why mathematicians have not done so earlier, what I have seen. (Maybe someone has done this, let me know if so, to me).
This new geometry will give it all quantum physicists of all time missed: the Compton effect, an image of and hence a deep understanding of how light is emitted and absorbed, a picture of what an electron is, a picture of what an electron is, realize that it is not just a little incomprehensible "point" in space, atomic processes,and so on and last but not least, logical explanations. It also means logical explanation and visual images, and thus the solution to the old riddle of light "wave-particle duality". The dynamics and physics are given since then by its special mathematics, where we assume "the most remarkable formula in mathematics" and "the Most Beautiful Mathematical Formula Ever". Guess what? The answer will be referred, of course. It includes, as some think, the "mystical imaginary unit". But it is that we will understand and realize, nothing strange with it.
Well, with these new tools, we can then describe any kind of a quantum of light, radio waves, heat radiation, gamma rays, X rays etc, i.e all types of electro-dynamic activity (radiation). Yes, each type of particle, as electrons, protons, neutrons, or entire atoms and molecules and their structure. Yes, their structure. We will also understand, really understand what the "ghostly" neutrinon is. And its structure. Actually.
OK, let us begin. As a short introduction I show how the light works in the new theory of light quantum.
This is not one (1) photon, but shows how photons can be changed. If the spatial circular (πr2) surface increases, reducing the time-line (2t2) square area. But the product of the two is always constant. A certain light photon (such as red) always has the same relationship between the radius r and t. For example, gamma radiation has a very large time square area. For radio waves it is the opposite. More comments below. The red and blue lines representing the electric and magnetic fields.
Light is neither waves or particles.
Light can be better described by a double-surface, either wave or particle. But this special surface is composed of both time and space. A space-time surface-squared = Planck constant (h). A temporal-spatial or cronometric double-surface which always has the amount equal to h just where the whole circulation is equal to 360 ° (2π). Otherwise it is in a non-mechanical, non-real (imaginary). We note that when Planck's constant h is always and remains a four-dimensional quantity.
Note that the vector of the graphics above (observe the read i:s and the green arrow) has just passed 180 ° – π – it is imaginary (i3). Before it passed π/2 and π it was imaginary too (i and i2). Even when the vector reaches 270° (i3). Only and PRECISELY at 2π – only when the vector has been full circle – it becomes real (i4). A quantum jump occurs! Under "certain circumstances", which will be explained later, occurs a suddenly change – a jump! – between two different states: the electromagnetic and the mechanical states.
This is a photon moving around in the space. (If we could see her). She has no thickness – just an area!
Be patient please, but more explanations will soon, but before we proceed, we shall, however, read what the Wikipedia, according to the official approach, says about the phenomenon of light:
( See:Bohr-Einstein_debates)
In physics, a photon
is an elementary particle, the quantum of the electromagnetic field and
the basic "unit" of light and all other forms of electromagnetic
radiation. It is also the force carrier for the electromagnetic force.
The effects of this force are easily observable at both the microscopic
and macroscopic level, because the photon has no rest mass; this allows
for interactions at long distances. Like all elementary particles, photons
are governed by quantum mechanics and will exhibit wave-particle duality
– they exhibit properties of both waves and particles. For example,
a single photon may be refracted by a lens or exhibit wave interference,
but also act as a particle giving a definite result when its location
is measured.
The modern concept of the photon was developed gradually by Albert Einstein
to explain experimental observations that did not fit the classical wave
model of light. In particular, the photon model accounted for the frequency
dependence of light's energy, and explained the ability of matter and
radiation to be in thermal equilibrium. It also accounted for anomalous
observations, including the properties of black body radiation, that other
physicists, most notably Max Planck, had sought to explain using semiclassical
models, in which light is still described by Maxwell's equations, but
the material objects that emit and absorb light are quantized. Although
these semiclassical models contributed to the development of quantum mechanics,
further experiments proved Einstein's hypothesis that light itself is
quantized; the quanta of light are photons.
In the modern Standard Model of particle physics, photons are described
as a necessary consequence of physical laws having a certain symmetry
at every point in spacetime. The intrinsic properties of photons, such
as charge, mass and spin, are determined by the properties of this gauge
symmetry.
(If the graphic below does not work, try another web browser).
Here we see the vector to move the whole circle round. The red circle periphery indicates the condition where the the movment is imaginary. Exactly at 360° switches on a real state – when the red is off. It makes a quantum jump. That is what I say. A philosopher might say a change from a to-be to a non-be. A mathematician would say that the red arrow moves from the imaginary to real. A physicist might say that the arrow shows the light in its electromagnetic state, except just at 360 ° (2π), where it suddenly switches on to a mechanical. He might even say that the pace at which the vector moves around is equal to the frequency. The circle radius is equal to the wavelength, which is the distance to the next photon in a photon train. I add.
Back to Wikipedia:
In physics, a quantum leap or quantum jump is a change of an electron from one quantum state to another within an atom. It is discontinuous; the electron jumps from one energy level to another instantaneously. The phenomenon contradicts classical theories, which expect energy levels to be continuous. Quantum leaps cause the emission of electromagnetic radiation, including that of light, which occurs in the form of quantized units called photons.
As we see from the quotation above is described only as "a quantum leap or quantum jump". The cause and the mechanism for this is lacking. And so it is with all the usual quantum theory. Only descriptions, not explanations. Never causes. This is well known and often heard many regret this. But that is what the so-called Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics is about. It abandoned causality. Einstein was its main opponent, he fought against the Copenhagen interpretation throughout his life.
Bohr–Einstein debates
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
The Bohr–Einstein debates is a popular name given
to a series of public disputes between Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr
about quantum physics. These two men, along with Max Planck were the founders
of the original quantum theory. Their "debates" are remembered
because of their importance to the philosophy of science. Einstein sought
a physics that would tell him what was happening in the real world "behind"
the equations. Bohr was interested in the equations themselves and did
not worry about an underlying reality.[1]
Einstein's position with respect to quantum mechanics is significantly
more subtle and open-minded than it has often been portrayed in technical
manuals and popular science articles[citation needed]. His constant and
powerful criticisms of quantum mechanics compelled its defenders to sharpen
and refine their understanding of the philosophical and scientific implications
of their own theory.
Pre-revolutionary debates
Einstein was the first physicist to say that Planck's discovery of the
quantum (h) would require a rewriting of physics. As though to prove his
point, in 1905 proposed that light sometimes acts as a particle which
he called light quanta and is now called the photon. Bohr was one of the
most vocal opponents of the photon idea and did not openly embrace it
until 1925. [2] His later ability to work creatively with an idea he had
so long resisted is quite unusual in the history of science. The photon
appealed to Einstein because he saw it as a physical reality (although
a confusing one) behind the numbers. Bohr disliked it because it made
the choice of mathematical solution arbitrary. He did not like that a
scientist had to choose between equations. [3]
1913 brought the Bohr model of the hydrogen atom which made use of the quantum to explain the atomic spectrum. Einstein was at first dubious, but quickly changed his mind and embraced it. He tolerated Bohr's model despite the fact that its underlying reality could not be pictured in detail because he considered it a work in progress. True, the model required electrons to "jump" from one "orbit" to another one (i.e. further away from the proton when gaining energy or back when emitting energy as a photon) without going through the space between, but it was a great beginning and time would clear it up, just as time would clear up the contradiction between light waves and particles. He continued to say physics needed a revolution that would resolve the quantum's discontinuities and contradictions.
The Quantum revolution
The quantum revolution of the mid-1920s occurred with little contribution
from either Einstein or Bohr, and their post-revolutionary debates were
about making sense of the change. The shocks for Einstein began in 1925
when Werner Heisenberg introduced matrix equations that removed the
Newtonian elements of space and time from any underlying reality.
The next shock came in 1926 when Max Born proposed that the mechanics
was to be understood as a probability without any causal explanation.
Finally, in late 1927, Heisenberg and Born declared at the Solvay Conference
that the revolution was over and nothing further was needed. It
was at that last stage that Einstein's skepticism turned to dismay. He
believed that much had been accomplished, but the reasons for the mechanics
still needed to be understood. [4]
Einstein's refusal to accept the revolution as complete reflected his rejection of the idea that positions in space-time could never be completely known and by the way quantum probabilities did not reflect any underlying causes. He did not reject the statistics or probabilities on their own and Einstein himself was a great statistical thinker. It was the lack of any reason for an event that Einstein rejected. [5] Bohr, meanwhile, was dismayed by none of the elements that troubled Einstein. He made his own peace with the contradictions by proposing a Principle of Complementarity that emphasized the role of the observer over the observed. [6]( My italics).
No underlying reality, no causal explanation and nothing further was needed! No observer, nothing to be the observed. It was the physicists happy with. And is still! If a tree falls in the forest and no one watching it, have nothing at all happened. "An unobserved electron does not exist". What is called such thinking? Waffle, mumbo jumbo? Yes! Anything goes. Unfortunately, this attitude colored the whole of science since then, since the 1920s. In the past, on Newton's, Maxwell's and Einstein's time, the researchers searched the truth, they sought clarity, understanding. They tried to understand how nature works. And why it works as it actually does. Right or wrong, may be, but they were natural philosophers; thought much on the questions how nature really works. Without involving extraneous things, such as "observers" or gods. If it is to some extent exempt Newton who believed in a god as watchmaker .... Now researchers are looking rather contributions ...
Of course there are other types of researchers, – honest, sincere, serious – but in physics and cosmology is the rare. Otherwise, they had not been peaced with the contradictions. The Principle of Complementarity explains nothing. It sounds like something but sounds nice only in peasant ears, as was said before. Otherwise we would not have had the stupid, arid Big Bang model and its theory of how the world works nor...which is also based on this thinking from the 1920s.
A new quantum revolution is needed
A new revolution in Einstein's spirit. We need a new model, a new theory. Adapted to the 2000s. A model and theory based on many new facts, discoveries and insights about how our world and reality actually works. Which was not available to Einstein's time in the 1920s.
Two of the contemporary founders of physics and cosmology, Niels Bohr and Albert Einstein, 1925.
The dispute is often about nature, our world and reality is really defined. How would energy quantum and the "absurd" atomic experiments be interpreted and understood? Einstein did not want to see incidents in nature as a kind of "gambling" in which " God plays dice". He would certainly not give the law of cause and effect but adopted instead that there must be an "underlying", "hidden" reality ... Unfortunately Einstein could not demonstrate this "hidden reality", in the absence of important clues and discoveries at this time. But certainly not for us at the 2000-century ...
As we saw in the figure above we see the vector to move the whole circle round. Why? What causes the vector to circulate? And why in quantum step? Well, this, I will show using the new graphics, a development of the former.
(If the graphic below does not work, try another web browser).
Here you look inside a photon! The whole mechanism in action! Note the quantum leap and the electric (red) and magnetic (blue) fields. We will come to that question later. And now you understand why and how the light is polarized along the E-vector. Or?
Okay, let us agree, but can you show us the mathematics that can describe this?
What we note is that the vector rotation is not a cause but an effect of the blue and the red fields increases and decreases their intensities and directions. And that they are always perpendicular to each other. The vector describes only these movements and changes. When a loop is fullfield – a quantum jump!
The red describes the photon's electric field (E-vector), the blue of the magnetic (B-vector) – the electromagnetic field. And what is causing their constant movements and changes? Well, it is the constant exchange between electromagnetic and mechanic actions. Or, in other words – between real and imaginary states or actions. It is the mechanism driving forces.
Nature's two sides.
This means that what is here described as an imaginary action or process is represented by the usual electromagnetic state. This is the secret once again: The electromagnetic state is imaginary! And the mechanical is the real state. But on one particular point in its oscillation meet the two: a quantum jump! (Study carefully the grafics above – this is nothing for lazy people!). Both processes, therefore, belongs to our nature and reality. This is important to understand: for the light quantum is the imaginary process of its common exist, while for us (the observer) it is a non-exist. A non-be for light is our standard mechanical world. But both belong to the existence of nature! Nature's two sides.
According to conventional physics there is only one side. This is a wrong approach. A one-sided and superficial approach. This was what Einstein criticized, there must be an underlying reality, he repeated again and again. Otherwise, there is no causality. And as long as we have not seen this "other" side, this "underlying reality" is not quantum physics complete. Otherwise we can not understand physics, make us a picture of the physical processes. (Bohr, meanwhile, was dismayed by none of the elements that troubled Einstein). It is sad, but there are even professors of physics, which boasts that they do not understand quantum mechanics. They rely on "there is nothing to understand", as Bohr, Heisenberg & co said that we have seen. And the same with all their apologists...
Where the chaos theory comes in and the root of Einstein's shortcomings
The main reason that Einstein could not give a picture of natural processes, quantum leap, the light emission and absorption, and more was said that the lack of theory, which today is called chaos theory. A theory of disorder and order and what it means physically, philosophically and how it can be described mathematically and graphically with the help of modern fast computers.
Theories of chaos were already in Einstein's time, but what was missing was the computers that could provide images, and thus understanding of the processes in question. I do not here and now to develop this issue, just point out the root of Einstein's shortcomings in its time, but he never doubted that the theory of how light works were incomplete. In the absence of fresh new ideas, he came, however, with time to increasingly seek the source of new knowledge in mathematics and mathematical formulas. Come, therefore, to embrace the same epistemology as Bohr and Heisenberg. Unfortunately, this must be said, but he tried hard and long anyway and his criticisms are still valid today in full.
All the world's history shows, however, that the source of all our knowledge can not be mathematics, but it is to search in nature and society. Mathematics as a tool and as a guide, however, is invaluable. It helps us to read and understand nature's book. Will we remember this is all good. In this book you can read, for example, that nature is not infinite, it is strictly limited. There is a maximum length and a minimum. There is a maximum period and a minimum. This can not be read into the pure mathematics. If you believe in black holes, eternity and singularities, have you read the wrong book.
Okay, once again let us say that, but you can show us the mathematics that can describe all this?
Yes, just a minute. Let us start with Euler. Leonhard Paul Euler (1707 – 1783) was a pioneering Swiss mathematician and physicist who spent most of his life in Russia and Germany.
Euler introduced the use of the exponential function and logarithms in analytic proofs. He discovered ways to express various logarithmic functions using power series, and he successfully defined logarithms for negative and complex numbers, thus greatly expanding the scope of mathematical applications of logarithms.[22] He also defined the exponential function for complex numbers, and discovered its relation to the trigonometric functions. For any real number ?, Euler's formula states that the complex exponential function satisfies
A special case of the above formula is known as Euler's identity,
called "the most remarkable formula in mathematics" by Richard Feynman, for its single uses of the notions of addition, multiplication, exponentiation, and equality, and the single uses of the important constants 0, 1, e, i and ž.[25] In 1988, readers of the Mathematical Intelligencer voted it "the Most Beautiful Mathematical Formula Ever".[26] In total, Euler was responsible for three of the top five formulae in that poll.[26]
We will begin by studying "the most remarkable formula in mathematics" and "the Most Beautiful Mathematical Formula Ever" – Euler's identity. How strange and wonderful it may sound, we discover in this small compact formula whole secret of how the light and all electromagnetic radiation works. If we have in mind what was said above on the pure mathematics and "that nature is not infinite, it is strictly limited. There is a maximum length and a minimum. There is a maximum period and a minimum."
The difference between the "pure" mathematics and the reality.
We must get rid of the "pure mathematics"! Now it's serious, now it's about reality! From "the single uses of the important constants 0, 1, e, i and π, we must skip 0 (zero). Nature is a quantizer and nothing plus or minus 1 can be zero. In nature everything is a question about quantization. And zero is zero – nothing at all. Not a form of a little quantum. We therefore need to rewrite this formula to:
ei&pi = -1
Now it's nothing unusual or strange about that, but this is a clearly visible difference between the pure mathematics and the reality. This form is used by electrical engineers and other practical men and women.
If we now square both terms we get:
ei2&pi = +1
We also have:
ei&pi/2 = square root of minus 1
and according to mathematical rules that:
i2 = -1
i2*i = i3
Thus, just as described in the figure above with the "rotating vector". (See that).
In the first quadrant that all values are the maximum i, if we allow the vector to rotate counterclockwise, the second -1 or i2, in the third i3 or - i, and so in the fourth quadrant are all maximum values + 1 or i4.
That means we have four states that account where only the last (fourth quadrant) is positive and real! For, opposite to this (in the second quadrant) are all negative numbers and the first are all imaginary. In the third, even negative and imaginary! Now we also have got the mathematical tools to really understand what light quanta are. Join now at a great adventure!
Read some literature about this subject: Dr Euler's Fabolous Formula and An Imaginary Tale
To be continued...