Reference: The Quantum Phenomenon
The physical phenomena encountered in this universe are extremely varied. But there is a single aspect that characterizes all of them. That aspect is motion. Motion seems to underlie all physical phenomena. It is important to come up with a measure for motion that is consistent across the boards.
At cosmic levels, speed has served well as a measure of motion. It is a very basic notion of Classical mechanics. Even the theory of Relativity starts with the speed of light as a postulate. However, an interesting switch takes place at this point.
Speed is a notion derived from classical mechanics that assumes space and time to be absolute. The theory of relativity then demonstrates that neither space nor time is absolute. When one is traveling along a beam of light, the sense of space and time is very different. The units of space and time are no longer the “standard” units assumed when one is traveling along earth. We lose consistency in the measure of motion when we think about speed.
As long as one is viewing from a frame of reference that is “matter-centric” there is consistency in using speed as a measure of motion. But the moment one views from a frame of reference that is “light-centric” one loses that consistency. The inconsistency also shows up when viewing motion at atomic levels as studied in quantum mechanics.
The consistency of using speed as a measure of motion is limited to the classical “matter-centric” frame of reference.
Einstein leaned on Newton when he based his theory of relativity on a speed of light that was taken to be constant in all frames of reference. This postulate is exact enough when all the frames of reference being considered are matter-centric. There is a lot of validity to the theory of relativity as long as we make our observations in a matter-centric frame of reference.
The theory of relativity, however, leads to the conclusion that space and time are not absolute. Therefore, it cannot assume that the speed of light is absolute and independent of frames of references that are not matter-centric. Einstein’s postulate is also subject to the classical assumptions underlying the Maxwell’s equations. Quantum mechanics is now examining those assumptions as it tries to explain the wave-particle duality. One needs to reformulate Einstein’s postulate about speed of light for all frames of references.
However, this does not decrease, in any sense, the genius of Newton and Einstein. Their theories are extremely workable in their respective domains. And it is the understanding derived from those theories, which is now guiding us to properly address the inconsistencies noticed between the cosmic and atomic scale observations.
We can use Einstein’s equation to show that the frequency of a photon may act as a source of inertia (resistance to change in motion) just as the mass of an electron does. This inertia may impart the property of discreteness as well.
From energy relationships,
E = hf = mc2
Or, f = [c2/h] m = [constant] m
In other words, frequency comes out proportional to mass equivalence, and it may play the same role as mass, within the electromagnetic spectrum. We may assume frequency to be a source of inertia where a wave is concerned, the same way that mass is a source of inertia for a particle.
Inertia is resistance to change in motion. Thus, as the frequency of electromagnetic radiation increases, it may act to slow its speed. However, from a matter-centric frame of reference, it may be difficult to detect the slowing down of the electromagnetic radiation. But a difference might be detectable between the speeds of gamma rays and radio waves because there is a large difference between their frequencies. The following news item seems to suggest that this may be the case.
High Energy Gamma Rays Go Slower than the Speed of Light?
The article on Markarian 501 from Wikipedia states,
“The gamma rays from Mrk 501 are extremely variable, undergoing violent outbursts. The gamma ray spectrum of Mrk 501 shows two humps. One is below 1 keV and can be considered to be X rays and the other is above 1 Tev. During flares and outbursts the peaks increase in power and frequency. Flares lasting 20 minutes long with rise times of 1 minute have been measured by MAGIC. In these flares the higher energy gamma rays (of 1.2 Tev) were delayed 4 minutes over the 0.25 TeV gamma rays.”
When we carefully look at this situation, we see that frequency could be used as a more exact measure of motion than speed. Frequency is a repeating change that is observable with consistency despite the relativistic nature of space and time. Frequency may also suffer less than speed from a matter-centric bias.
The frequency of electromagnetic radiation could prove to be a better measure of motion than its speed.
Frequency as a measure of motion seems to open new avenues of investigation. For example, the de Broglie frequency of electron is in the same ballpark as the frequency of gamma rays. Therefore, a transition of inertia from frequency to mass seems to occur in gamma ray/electron region.
Of course, this is simply a hunch at this stage.
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