Category Archives: Science

Physics & Objectivity

July 22, 2019 – 7:28 AM

In Chapter 1: Objective & Subjective Reality the criterion for objectivity was defined as the consistency among all perceptions. Einstein’s stated this principle in mathematical terms as follows.

Natural laws must be covariant with respect to arbitrary continuous transformations of the co-ordinates.

We start in this book with the following postulate.

The UNIVERSE is a single system that is intrinsically continuous, harmonious and consistent.

Any perceived discontinuity among objects, disharmony among relatinships, or inconsistency among concepts hides some truth to be discovered.

Newton came up with fundamental concepts, such as, mass, force, inertia, and energy that applied to the macroscopic domain of matter. These concepts underwent drastic revision and expansion as the microscopic domain of field and quanta was discovered. New observations required the revision of even the concepts of space and time.

The science of physics thus examines all physical phenomena and comes up with a description that is consistent. As observations are refined through experimentation, hypotheses develop into theories, and theories lead to principles. This development follows a continual reduction of known and discovered inconsistencies.

The science of Physics uses the criterion of logical and mathematical consistency to investigate and build upon the objective reality of the universe.

Logic deals with consistency of real observations. Mathematics uses abstraction to further refine logical consistency. When mathematical results cannot be translated back into a consistent logic then mathematics itself has become inconsistent due to its assumptions and approximations.

When mathematical results are inconsistent with logic then mathematics has employed assumptions that are not consistent with reality.

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By vinaire | Also posted in Physics Book | Comments (0)

Nucleus, Electrons and Light

July 21, 2019 – 5:53 PM

As shown in Chapter 3: Matter and Substantiality, both matter and light are substantial. Matter, however, is considered to have mass, but light is not. Matter has solidity and density, but light does not.

The fundamental difference between matter and light is that matter consists of atoms, and light does not. Atoms were at first depicted as solid globules, but now they are determined to be 99.99% space, with a speck of a solid nucleus at the center. The atomic space, however, is filled with electrons whose mass density is 1/1840th of the mass density of the nucleus.

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The Nucleus

The nucleus is like a material particle that is solid and rigid, and has a center of mass. It is surrounded by electrons that do not have a center of mass. Electrons are depicted as having a probabilistic distribution in a very large volume compared to the volume of the nucleus.

This is mathematical, of course, but it tells us that electrons are thin in terms of mass, and are spread out in a large volume. They lack a rigid structure like the nucleus. We may conclude:

The substance (mass) is not rigid, solid, and concentrated except in the nucleus. It is ephemeral, flexible and sparse in electrons and elsewhere.

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The Electron

A proton or a neutron is like a mass contained in an point-like volume. If that volume is blown up 1840 times, the mass density in that volume shall also thin out 1840 times. This shall roughly be the volume and mass density of an electron.

Electrons have neither solidity nor structure, and they move rapidly making its thin mass slosh like a fluid. That is why they do not have a center of mass. This gives electron a wave-like characteristic. The electrons are discrete in terms of energy interactions because they have mass density, but in space, they seem to form a fluid-like continuum. This explains the results from the double-slit phenomenon.

Electrons are not particles that behave as waves in some medium. They are a dense fluid-like substance with a wave-like sloshing motion.

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Light

Light is an electromagnetic (EM) radiation. It has much larger spread in space compared even to the electrons. Therefore, it has much smaller mass density. The sloshing speed of photons of light is much greater. Without mass there shall neither be wave-like motion, nor discrete energy interactions. This logical view is different from what is generally assumed in science.

This is the real explanation of why the quantum of electron (and, more so, the quantum of light) cannot be pin pointed in space. Only particles with center of mass may be pinpointed. This explains the reality underlying Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle.

Light is very low density and extremely fast moving fluid-like sloshing substance.  Its momentum and energy comes from its mass density and velocity.

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Summary

Matter is an atomic substance. The density of matter depends on how densely the atoms are packed. But even then, this density is averaged over the atom in which the heavy nucleus exists only as a tiny speck. The highest density of substance exists in the nucleus of an atom. The rigid structure of matter gives it a center of mass

Electrons and the electromagnetic radiation (light) are non-atomic substances. There is a very sharply declining density gradient from nucleus to the surrounding electrons. The density decreases farther away from the nucleus in the electronic region. Photons surrounding the electronic region of atoms have still lesser mass density and greater volume. One may say that mass is becoming increasingly thinner from neutron/proton to electron to photon. The mass density of photon may be estimated from its wavelength.

The mass becomes more fluid-like as it thins and spreads out in greater volume. At the same time, it increases in its dynamic characteristic and gains wave-like properties.

Matter and light are substances with mass density. The mass density gives them particle-like properties.

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By vinaire | Also posted in Physics Book | Comments (0)

The Logic of Substance

July 21, 2019 – 7:55 AM

As shown in the paper, The Logic of Reality, conflating energy with substance has caused much confusion about reality. The starting point of reality has always been substance. Of course, matter is substance, but light is no less a substance. It impacts our senses the same way that matter does.

This is, however, contrary to the current scientific view, which is based on quantum reality. The quantum reality assumes that light has no substance (mass).

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Substantiality and Mass

As explained in Void and Space, we contrast the physical phenomena from the background void by its impact on our senses. The essence of that impact is FORCE. That force is also felt when we try to push something. By the magnitude of that force we know how substantial a physical phenomenon is.

Newton characterized this substantiality as the innate force of MATTER. He named it INERTIA. Inertia appears as resistance when external force is applied to a material object. The object moves under the influence of the applied force while resisting it. This inertial resistance is there even when there is no friction.  Try pushing a heavy iron ball that is suspended from the ceiling.

Under the influence of externally applied force the motion of the object increases. To increase the rate of motion the applied force must be increased proportionally. Increase in force is also necessary to compensate for increase in substantiality of the object. This substantiality is measured as MASS. The concepts of mass and inertia are crucial to the understanding of matter.

Matter is understood in terms of mass (substantiality) and inertia (internal resistance).

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Substantiality of Light

Matter is the starting concept in physics because of its substantiality. That is why it is called substance. A substance is recognized because of its impact on our senses. Matter has impact on our senses in terms of inertia. The substantiality of matter is measured in terms of mass.

Light also has impact on our senses, therefore, it is substantial. Newton did recognize light as a substance by advancing a corpuscular theory, but that got overridden by a wave theory, which looked at light as a disturbance in a hypothetical medium called aether. This characterized light as “energy”. Thus, light was defined as the energy of a substance called aether.

When Einstein discovered light quanta, he essentially restored the substantial nature of light. There was no esoteric medium called aether. Light was an ephemeral substance that moved like a wave. But Einstein retained the idea of light quanta as a “packet of energy” based on the wave theory. This implied that “energy” was a kind of substance. This was a departure from Newtonian idea of energy, which required the notion of substance (or mass) as a prerequisite.

The substantiality of light is defined in terms of energy and not mass.

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Mass and Energy

Currently, Science does not recognize light as a substance, but considers it to be “pure energy”. As conceived originally, energy relates to motion, or tension, of substance (mass). It is inconsistent to conceive of “pure motion, tension or energy”, without substance (mass).

Einstein should have conceived of light is an extremely fast moving substance. Just because one can measure the energy of light, but not mass, does not mean that light has no mass.

Einstein’s assumption that light has no mass is a valid approximation only because the mass of light is infinitesimal compared to the mass of matter. This can be seen from calculating the mass of light by Einstein’s famous equation, E = mc2.

Disregard of the logic of substance (mass) has created confusion between the concepts of mass and energy at quantum levels. This brings confusion to the very concept of substantiality.

By stating that light is energy with no mass, Einstein characterized energy as substance (mass). This is confusing to say the least.

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Void and Space

July 20, 2019 – 8:06 AM

We find the concept of VOID flanked by the concepts of EMPTINESS and SPACE.

Generally, we look at SPACE as “absence of matter”. For example, we look around the room and see space among material objects.

We look at VOID as “absence of physical phenomena”. For example, when we look at the heaven we think of void among the earth, sun, moon and stars.

We look at EMPTINESS as “absence of all phenomena, whether physical, spiritual or mental”. In emptiness, even the void and space are absent. This occurs in deep sleep when we are aware of closing and opening our eyes, but of nothing in between.

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Emptiness

EMPTINESS is a philosophical concept rather than a scientific one. Eastern philosophy looks upon it as absence of birth, death, being, non-being, increasing, decreasing, purity and defilement.

From a scientific viewpoint, emptiness is like the zero on a scale of phenomena. Itself, it is not a phenomenon, just like zero is not a value. Thus, emptiness is the ultimate reference point from which all physical and metaphysical phenomena is perceived objectively.

The concept of emptiness is just that. It is totally fresh. It is completely clean. There are no preconceived notions, no fixed ideas, and no bias. It is simply what it is. It has the property of being inherently understood because it denotes the absence of all phenomena.

Emptiness is the ultimate reference point from which it is possible to give an objective meaning to any phenomena without preconceived notions.

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Void

When astronomers look up at the heavens, they are basically concerned with physical phenomenon. Such phenomena extend to all physical aspects of the universe, such as, matter, energy, space and time. Astronomers regard those regions of heaven as void where they cannot detect any physical phenomenon.

Void is a concept used in physics as a background from which to contrast the physical phenomenon. Void is similar to emptiness, except it is narrower in scope.

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Space

Space is conceived as absence of matter, where matter is thought of as made of solid atoms. Space, as vacuum, may be free of matter, but it is not free of light and other radiation,

The atom is said to have over 99.99% space with a speck of solid nucleus in the center. Therefore, space is not differentiated from the  electronic, electromagnetic and force fields that surround the nucleus.

Space is generally thought of as absence of atomic matter. It, however, does not exclude the physical phenomena of light and other radiation.

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Classical and Quantum Physics

These concepts of Emptiness, Void and Space exist in classical physics only, They do not exist in quantum physics.

In Quantum physics, space becomes a complex mathematical object and void and emptiness lose their meanings.

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By vinaire | Also posted in Physics Book | Comments (0)

More on Substance

July 13, 2019 – 6:31 AM

SUBSTANCE is the most basic concept that physics builds itself from. The following statement supports this assertion.

Most scientists associate the word “substance” with matter. They think of field as a “mathematical object” without any substance. Similarly, they look at space, time and energy also as mathematical objects that are devoid of substance and reality.

The above statement expands the concepts of matter, energy, space and time in light of the concept of “field as substance”, as was held by Faraday.

Most physicist may disagree with the above because it delves into the philosophy of science. I know, however, that Descartes would have agreed with me.

The most basic concept would naturally be the widest or the broadest concept. This is case with the concept of substance.

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Is the word “substance” too vague?

Some are asking for the word “substance” to be defined. But if they read the above carefully they will see that it is precisely defined. A substance has substantiality. Substantiality is recognized by innate force of substance that appears as a reaction to being pushed. Both matter and field have this property.

Light is not a disturbance in some theorized aether. Light is a substance on its own right. It is its own “medium”. It has density. Light is called “energy” because it is a very fast moving substance. Its wave property comes from its motion.

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What is a particle?

The word “particle”, as used in physics, has been very confusing. We are familiar with a particle of matter because it has a center of mass. Electrons are not particles of matter because they do not have a center of mass. An electron is a “particle of field” that has a density much less than that of mass. It does not have a center of mass because it is not structured like the nucleus of the atom; instead it sloshes around within the atom, or away from atom.

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Is field just a mathematical object?

My idea of field is in the same sense as how Faraday first described it. Faraday’s field that was made up of lines of force, was not a mathematical object. It was real. It defined light and electromagnetic radiation. Maxwell made it mathematical, when he treated it as a disturbance in a hypothetical substance called aether.

However, there is no such substance as aether. Light and EM radiation are substances in themselves, and not disturbances in some other medium. As substances, light and EM radiation have actual densities. The energy of a wave disturbance is defined by its intensity, but the energy of a substance moving as a wave is defined by its density. That is the famous discovery of light quanta by Einstein, which is evident from the photoelectric effect. The energy of light quanta is tied to its “frequency” that actually expresses its density.

It is a matter of how you interpret the physics beyond mathematics. Physics has become too mathematical because it lacks proper interpretation.

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Was there no substance in the beginning?

Most people seem to associate substance with matter. It is true that in the beginning there was no matter, but there was substance in the form of field. Here I do not mean “field as a mathematical object”. By field I mean “force field” as defined by Faraday. Please see above.

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Is everything just energy?

I see energy as substance in motion. You cannot have energy without motion, and you cannot have motion without substance or force. In the final analysis, we perceive substance because of its force, or resistance to force.

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Important references from Faraday

I consider the following references from Faraday to be very important and appropriate.

Faraday: Electrical Conduction & Nature of Matter

Faraday: Thoughts on Ray Vibrations

Faraday: On the Conservation of Force

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