- Dec 7, 2009
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Not God or Neo but The Standard Model.
Hmmm where do I begin...
Ok some background first. This isn't the problem yet.
We have similar formulas for the calculation of forces of electric or magnetic forces and gravitational forces save for a constant or so. That's probably due to the geometry of the universe.
Yet we have very different models for the underlying mechanisms for how they function.
The gravitational "field" is really just warping of the fabric of spacetime, whereas EM fields are theorized as momentum and energy transfer mediated by virtual photons.
To understand these virtual photons picture 2 ice skaters playing catch with a bowling ball. As one throws the ball they are transferring energy to the ball in the form of kinetic energy. The person who catches the ball will absorb this energy and consequently be pushed away from the thrower. In this way electrons for example repel each other. The 2 skaters represent the electrons, and the bowling ball represents the virtual photon mediator. Same for magnets. So now you know how magnets work if you didn't already.
Having 2 totally different mechanisms of function between gravitation and EM seems odd given their similar formulas of calculation for the magnitude of their forces, but that's not the problem.
The problem I have is that we have yet to detect a virtual particle such as a virtual photon. The reason given for impossibility of detection is that virtual particles only exist for extremely short periods of time. Too short a time for our instruments, fine.
Ok so if you know the formula for electric field calculation you know that the denominator is r^2 and so although the force can become very small with ever increasing distance, it never really goes to 0.
Well if the term never goes to zero that means that if there is an electron in space and another one 1 million miles away (arbitrary number) then there still exists a force between them.
If that is the case, how did the virtual photon get from 1 electron to the other traveling less than the speed of light and cover that huge distance in such a short period of time as to be undetectable?
Put another way: How did the virtual photons travel 1 million miles in such a short period of time without exceeding the speed of light c?
Thanks for reading and/or contributing.
Hmmm where do I begin...
Ok some background first. This isn't the problem yet.
We have similar formulas for the calculation of forces of electric or magnetic forces and gravitational forces save for a constant or so. That's probably due to the geometry of the universe.
Yet we have very different models for the underlying mechanisms for how they function.
The gravitational "field" is really just warping of the fabric of spacetime, whereas EM fields are theorized as momentum and energy transfer mediated by virtual photons.
To understand these virtual photons picture 2 ice skaters playing catch with a bowling ball. As one throws the ball they are transferring energy to the ball in the form of kinetic energy. The person who catches the ball will absorb this energy and consequently be pushed away from the thrower. In this way electrons for example repel each other. The 2 skaters represent the electrons, and the bowling ball represents the virtual photon mediator. Same for magnets. So now you know how magnets work if you didn't already.
Having 2 totally different mechanisms of function between gravitation and EM seems odd given their similar formulas of calculation for the magnitude of their forces, but that's not the problem.
The problem I have is that we have yet to detect a virtual particle such as a virtual photon. The reason given for impossibility of detection is that virtual particles only exist for extremely short periods of time. Too short a time for our instruments, fine.
Ok so if you know the formula for electric field calculation you know that the denominator is r^2 and so although the force can become very small with ever increasing distance, it never really goes to 0.
Well if the term never goes to zero that means that if there is an electron in space and another one 1 million miles away (arbitrary number) then there still exists a force between them.
If that is the case, how did the virtual photon get from 1 electron to the other traveling less than the speed of light and cover that huge distance in such a short period of time as to be undetectable?
Put another way: How did the virtual photons travel 1 million miles in such a short period of time without exceeding the speed of light c?
Thanks for reading and/or contributing.
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