While the classical, wavelike behavior of light interference and diffraction has been easily observed in undergraduate laboratories for many years, explicit observation of the quantum nature of light i.e., photons is much more difficult. For example, while well-known phenomena such as the photoelectric effect and Compton scattering strongly suggest the existence of photons, they are not definitive proof of their existence.

In particle physics, quantum field theories such as the Standard Model describe nature in terms of fields. Each field has a complementary description as the set of particles of a particular type. A force between two particles can be described either as the action of a force field generated by one particle on the other, or in terms of the exchange of virtual force carrier particles between them. The energy of a wave in a field (for example, electromagnetic waves in the electromagnetic field) is quantized, and the quantum excitation of the field can be interpreted as particles. In quantum electrodynamics (QED) a charged particle emits exchange force particles continuously. This process has no effect on the properties of a charged particle such as its mass and charge. How is it explainable? In theoretically a pure steady state spin current without charge current can induce an electric field. If a charged particle as a generator has an output known as a virtual photon, what will be its input?

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