Very low frequency electromagnetic and gravitational waves have quantums of low energy and momentum. Therefore, they have large uncertainties in position and time hence they should move by quantum tunneling a lot. Unless quantum tunneling limited to the speed of light, Some of their quantums should have be going faster than light. By tunneling, i mean having at any one time non-zero probability of existing at many points from their wave functions. The fact they have not been shown to go faster than light appears to show valid wave functions would only give points of existence separated in time and space such that the speed of light is not broken.
For the same reason molecules in any gas, that, also, have uncertain positions, don't.
Quantum tunneling doesn't have anything to do with the properties of photons. Electromagnetic waves move in vacuum at the speed of light-and only at the speed of light-as do the photons, when they can be resolved. Everything can be and has been described quantitatively. The wavefunction of photons has the properties expected of relativistic particles, though their properties aren't, usually, presented in the Hamiltonian formalism, for convenience. Quantum electrodynamics is, now, very well understood.
It would be a good idea to take some time and study quantum mechanics from a textbook. (And start with classical mechanics and electrodynamics, that are prerequisites.)
This: https://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/ might be a good place to start.
So long as the quanta of low energy electromagnetic propagations really are of the kind of quanta defined in terms of Planck's constant, we will not be able to imagine a higher velocity.
But if we continue to observe everything with the use of the Lorentz factor, where we pre-determine (Special Relativity) that all propagations must be evaluated in terms of the speed of light, there is only one conclusion: All propagations that seem to speed at greater than the speed of light, will become either of imaginary value or just undefined. NOW, WHO DECIDED THAT THE LORENTZ FACTOR SHOULD BE BASED ONLY ON THE VELOCITY OF LIGHT?
Raphael Neelamkavil & Stam Nicolis
My concern if an electron jumps over a gap by QM tunnelng, the charges of the electron will interact with the rest of the world as if it was moving at a velocity=total distance (including the gap it was never it)/time. That average velocity can get high. Fast moving electron beams transfer their energy to any standing wave they pass through (one reason accelerators are noisy). Non-electric charges the particle most likely act the same way.
The quantum tunneling is not an infinitesimal or infinite or magical tunnel which flips the electron off. It is just a mathematical state where an explanation guided by observation seems to go awry. This need not be the reason to think that some mystical jump takes place. Hence, we do not need a tunneling for electrons to interact with the rest of the world. In any case, not simultaneously with the whole world. Instead, only with a finite amount of other wavicles and matter in the world.
Raphael Neelamkavil
No one has observed particles during the time they tunnel. The first proof of tunneling was of electrons crossing an electric field potential they did not have the energy to do. Obviously they either not in unknown dimensions of the gap or have changed themselves. The idea that quantum uncertainty is due to unknown dimensions is almost as old as quantum uncertainty.
If particles where just their normal self in normal 3d in a gap they are tunneling why has there no observation of that? Also were did they get the energy cross potential barriers of more energy than they had.
Why should this be due to unknown dimensions? Why not, that by reason of the statistical uncertainty we are not able to predict something or other, and we tend to call it a tunnel? Such terms work towards mystifying physics, if the physicist adores math and statistics as almighty gods. This is where the new dimensions are being made. I know that these new dimensions are not of the same value as the three spatial dimensions. But the daring to term the so-called extra dimensions as DIMENSIONS... This is due to religious faith in the results of application of math and statistics in physics and tech.
Samuel Reich,
If we consider some underlying process as determining the speed of light then we might look at our physical reality as being a point in the underlying process where waves that synchronize become part of physical reality. Under this view, a lower frequency wave would not synchronize at intermediate points. An intermediate point which exhibits higher energy would not affect the wave because it did not synchronize.
Richard Marker
Quantum uncertainties have to do with the value of hbar and dual variables.. In the case of energy,
it depends on the time. A long time means zero energy uncertainty, and vise- versa. Quantum tunneling time is under discussion, but it is not zero or infinite. Therefore energy conservation does not hold in this time and the Classical turning point does not hold.
Juan Weisz
The wave function inside the gap must be zero (not existing there) and non-zero on either side and may not be zero at edge. Schrodinger's equation only give continuous wave function solutions. There is the question of what independent electromagnetic waves experience at 1 or 2 gap lengths for the gap. Because moving charges give or receive energy from near waves.
Samuel Reich,
Why should this be due to unknown dimensions? Why not that, by reason of the statistical uncertainty, we are not able to predict something or other, and we tend to call it a tunnel? Such terms work towards mystifying physics, if the physicist adores math and statistics as almighty gods. This is where the new dimensions are being made. I know that these new dimensions are not of the same value as the three spatial dimensions. But the daring to term the so-called extra dimensions as DIMENSIONS... This is due to religious faith in the results of application of math and statistics in physics and tech.
Raphael Neelamkavil
I did not invent using the word tunnel applied this. It goes back to the first application the effect called the tunnel diode. It reasonable to think, whoever first used that term believed in extra dimensions of the universe is responsible for the statistical nature of quantum mechanics, a still older minority idea.
But the facts are the wave function of a particle crossing a gap it does not have the energy to do or otherwise should not be there. Therefore, has a wave function of zero in the gap (zero probability of being there). On either side there is continuous non-zero wave functions obeying Schrodinger's equation which cannot give discontinuous wave functions.
Samuel Reich, you have explained your position well. I recognize academic maturity in you. Thanks.
The solutions by Schrodinger's equation would 3 a wave functions zero in the gap. The gap surface therefore would be reflectors for the solution on each side of the gap. On each side of the gap it would take the form B(t,x,y,z)-B(t,,x,y,-z) where z is normal to gap wall, and B is a function.
- Badges
- Science topic