It was predicted by Einstein that energy and mass can be converted between each other. But why? Energy and mass are two very different physical concepts. How can they be exchanged with each other? We think the key to ...It was predicted by Einstein that energy and mass can be converted between each other. But why? Energy and mass are two very different physical concepts. How can they be exchanged with each other? We think the key to answer this question is to recall that a particle can behave like a wave. Particle properties like energy and momentum are known to be related to their corresponding wave properties (frequency and wave vector). Mass is clearly a particle property;is it also related to a wave property? This study suggests that it is. We found that mass and energy appear to share similar physical nature in the wave perspective. Both of them are related to the curvature of bending the vacuum medium during the propagation of the excitation wave. This similarity explains why they are convertible.展开更多
In modern physics, a particle is regarded as the quantum excitation of a field. Then, where does the mass of a particle come from? According to the Standard Model, a particle acquires mass through its interaction with...In modern physics, a particle is regarded as the quantum excitation of a field. Then, where does the mass of a particle come from? According to the Standard Model, a particle acquires mass through its interaction with the Higgs field. The rest mass of a free particle is essentially identified from the Klein-Gordon equation (through its associated Lagrangian density). Recently it was reported that a key feature of this theory (i.e., prediction of Higgs boson) is supported by experiments conducted at LHC. Nevertheless, there are still many questions about the Higgs model. In this paper, we would like to explore a different approach based on more classical concepts. We think mass should be treated on the same footing as momentum and energy, and the definition of mass should be strictly based on its association with the momentum. By postulating that all particles in nature (including fermions and bosons) are excitation waves of the vacuum medium, we propose a simple wave equation for a free particle. We find that the rest mass of the particle is associated with a “transverse wave number”, and the Klein-Gordon equation can be derived from the general wave equation if one considers only the longitudinal component of the excitation wave. Implications of this model and its comparison with the Higgs model are discussed in this work.展开更多
One great surprise discovered in modern physics is that all elementary particles exhibit the property of wave-particle duality. We investigated this problem recently and found a simple way to explain this puzzle. We p...One great surprise discovered in modern physics is that all elementary particles exhibit the property of wave-particle duality. We investigated this problem recently and found a simple way to explain this puzzle. We proposed that all particles, including massless particles such as photon and massive particles such as electron, can be treated as excitation waves in the vacuum, which behaves like a physical medium. Using such a model, the phenomenon of wave-particle duality can be explained naturally. The key question now is to find out what kind of physical properties this vacuum medium may have. In this paper, we investigate if the vacuum can be modeled as an elastic solid or a dielectric medium as envisioned in the Maxwell theory of electricity and magnetism. We show that a similar form of wave equation can be derived in three cases: (1) By modelling the vacuum medium as an elastic solid;(2) By constructing a simple Lagrangian density that is a 3-D extension of a stretched string or a vibrating membrane;(3) By assuming that the vacuum is a dielectric medium, from which the wave equation can be derived directly from Maxwell’s equations. Similarity between results of these three systems suggests that the vacuum can be modelled as a mechanical continuum, and the excitation wave in the vacuum behaves like some of the excitation waves in a physical medium.展开更多
It is well known that the mass of a particle has properties different from Newtonian mechanics. First, it is speed-dependent. Second, it is convertible to energy. These properties were generally thought to be derived ...It is well known that the mass of a particle has properties different from Newtonian mechanics. First, it is speed-dependent. Second, it is convertible to energy. These properties were generally thought to be derived from the principle of relativity (PR). We have conducted a careful examination of the historical records and found that the non-Newtonian properties of mass were derived not so much based on PR, but more based on Einstein’s intuitive thinking that radiation and matters behave similarly. This gives us a hint: Since both photon and electron can behave as a particle as well as a wave, can such a wave nature account for the deviations from Newtonian mechanics? Thus, we have developed a wave model to describe the motion of a free particle with or without rest mass. We found that both the speed-dependence of mass and the mass-energy equivalence can indeed be derived based on the wave properties of a particle. This wave hypothesis has several advantages;it can naturally explain why particles can be created in the vacuum and why a particle cannot travel faster than the speed of light.展开更多
文摘It was predicted by Einstein that energy and mass can be converted between each other. But why? Energy and mass are two very different physical concepts. How can they be exchanged with each other? We think the key to answer this question is to recall that a particle can behave like a wave. Particle properties like energy and momentum are known to be related to their corresponding wave properties (frequency and wave vector). Mass is clearly a particle property;is it also related to a wave property? This study suggests that it is. We found that mass and energy appear to share similar physical nature in the wave perspective. Both of them are related to the curvature of bending the vacuum medium during the propagation of the excitation wave. This similarity explains why they are convertible.
文摘In modern physics, a particle is regarded as the quantum excitation of a field. Then, where does the mass of a particle come from? According to the Standard Model, a particle acquires mass through its interaction with the Higgs field. The rest mass of a free particle is essentially identified from the Klein-Gordon equation (through its associated Lagrangian density). Recently it was reported that a key feature of this theory (i.e., prediction of Higgs boson) is supported by experiments conducted at LHC. Nevertheless, there are still many questions about the Higgs model. In this paper, we would like to explore a different approach based on more classical concepts. We think mass should be treated on the same footing as momentum and energy, and the definition of mass should be strictly based on its association with the momentum. By postulating that all particles in nature (including fermions and bosons) are excitation waves of the vacuum medium, we propose a simple wave equation for a free particle. We find that the rest mass of the particle is associated with a “transverse wave number”, and the Klein-Gordon equation can be derived from the general wave equation if one considers only the longitudinal component of the excitation wave. Implications of this model and its comparison with the Higgs model are discussed in this work.
文摘One great surprise discovered in modern physics is that all elementary particles exhibit the property of wave-particle duality. We investigated this problem recently and found a simple way to explain this puzzle. We proposed that all particles, including massless particles such as photon and massive particles such as electron, can be treated as excitation waves in the vacuum, which behaves like a physical medium. Using such a model, the phenomenon of wave-particle duality can be explained naturally. The key question now is to find out what kind of physical properties this vacuum medium may have. In this paper, we investigate if the vacuum can be modeled as an elastic solid or a dielectric medium as envisioned in the Maxwell theory of electricity and magnetism. We show that a similar form of wave equation can be derived in three cases: (1) By modelling the vacuum medium as an elastic solid;(2) By constructing a simple Lagrangian density that is a 3-D extension of a stretched string or a vibrating membrane;(3) By assuming that the vacuum is a dielectric medium, from which the wave equation can be derived directly from Maxwell’s equations. Similarity between results of these three systems suggests that the vacuum can be modelled as a mechanical continuum, and the excitation wave in the vacuum behaves like some of the excitation waves in a physical medium.
文摘It is well known that the mass of a particle has properties different from Newtonian mechanics. First, it is speed-dependent. Second, it is convertible to energy. These properties were generally thought to be derived from the principle of relativity (PR). We have conducted a careful examination of the historical records and found that the non-Newtonian properties of mass were derived not so much based on PR, but more based on Einstein’s intuitive thinking that radiation and matters behave similarly. This gives us a hint: Since both photon and electron can behave as a particle as well as a wave, can such a wave nature account for the deviations from Newtonian mechanics? Thus, we have developed a wave model to describe the motion of a free particle with or without rest mass. We found that both the speed-dependence of mass and the mass-energy equivalence can indeed be derived based on the wave properties of a particle. This wave hypothesis has several advantages;it can naturally explain why particles can be created in the vacuum and why a particle cannot travel faster than the speed of light.
