Can We Derive a Universal Formula for Material and Non-Material Objects?

  • Thread starter Thor
  • Start date
  • Tags
    E=mc^2
In summary: Psi function is not a simple linear function describing the behavior of an atom at rest, but instead has a nonlinear term which accounts for the atom's movement through space.
  • #1
Thor
61
0
E=mc^2 is the simplified form of an equation given to us by Albert Einstein to describe the relationship between energy and mass. Translated into words, it says the amount of change (E) that we may expect a material subject to be able to produce is directly proportional to a it's mass (m) and the square of the speed of light (c^2). It is certainly a very useful formula; however, in order for it to work, the subject of the equation must have the property of mass. But what about things which have no mass - things like space, for example?

The motion of a substance which has no mass would still require the subject to displace whatever lies in front of it and this change would certainly take an instance of time (t). Mr. Einstein's equation may be accurate, but it is incomplete. It addresses only the special case of subjects with the attribute of mass. I wonder if there is an equation which addresses both material and ethereal substances. I wonder if the additional terms that such a formula would require might finally resolve the issue of that pesky imaginary number X=sqrt (-1)
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
First of all, how can space move? Relative to what? And what could you possibly mean by "the issue of that pesky imaginary number X=sqrt (-1)," and how is that related?
 
  • #3
Thor said:
E=mc^2 is the simplified form of an equation given to us by Albert Einstein to describe the relationship between energy and mass. Translated into words, it says the amount of change (E) that we may expect a material subject to be able to produce is directly proportional to a it's mass (m) and the square of the speed of light (c^2). It is certainly a very useful formula; however, in order for it to work, the subject of the equation must have the property of mass. But what about things which have no mass - things like space, for example?

The full equation in special relativity is [tex]E^2 = p^2c^2 + m^2c^4[/tex]. This equation is invariant under Lorentz transformations, i.e. it holds in every inertial frame. The content of the two sides of the equation varies from frame to frame, but the two sides remain equal in every frame. Notice the right side has 2 terms, and the second one is valid in the rest frame of a massive particle ("rest" meaning that in this frame, the momentum p of the particle is zero). So in this rest frame, the first term drops out and we have [tex]E^2 = m^2c^4[/tex] which is our old favorite [tex]E = mc^2[/tex] after taking a square root. Now consider a massless particle, this amounts to setting m = 0. So now the second term drops out, and that means that for a massless particle there IS NO REST FRAME; its momentum can never be zero!. Thus only the first term is valid and we have [tex]E^2 = p^2c^2[/tex]; the energy of a a massless particle is the magnitude of its momentum multiplied by the speed of light. And this is the correct formula for such a particle.

Space does not move in special relativity. In general relativity space curves dynamically to reallize local physics. In cosmology space expands. But we do not need the concept of "speed of space".

The motion of a substance which has no mass would still require the subject to displace whatever lies in front of it and this change would certainly take an instance of time (t). Mr. Einstein's equation may be accurate, but it is incomplete. It addresses only the special case of subjects with the attribute of mass. I wonder if there is an equation which addresses both material and ethereal substances. I wonder if the additional terms that such a formula would require might finally resolve the issue of that pesky imaginary number X=sqrt (-1)

This is an attempt to apply prescientific concepts to a scientific subject. The mathematics of relativity is consistent and will deal with these cases. The square root of minus one comes in naturally where it naturally comes in and doesn't need to be pushed in.
 
Last edited:
  • #4
I'm beginning to wonder if maybe the concept of speed of space, or flux of space moving through a cross section of a referance frame could be used to develop the relations behind the speed of an atom through space (or flux of space through it), and the actual mechanics of it's behavior as a function of translation in space (or, space flowing through the atom). To put it more clear, I believe that atoms (at least the hydrogen atom) behave(s) differently (has different Psi functions) when it is traveling through space rather than when it is at rest. Right now, my hypothesis is that as it's sped up approaching C, the "orbital radius" of the electron moving around the nucleus stays the same in the direction of travel (counteracting length contraction in the direction of travel), but the "orbital radius" increases in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel. It increases to infinity at C, and the radius in the direction of travel at C is still the same radius as when the atom is at rest. I'm betting that a more comprehensive derivation of the spin-orbit interaction when accounting for translation (of the entire atom) through space (or space moving through it) is the roadmap toward this relation.
 

FAQ: Can We Derive a Universal Formula for Material and Non-Material Objects?

What does the equation E=mc^2 mean?

The equation E=mc^2 is known as the mass-energy equivalence equation, where E represents energy, m represents mass, and c represents the speed of light in a vacuum. This equation states that mass and energy are interchangeable and can be converted into one another.

How did Albert Einstein come up with the equation E=mc^2?

In 1905, Albert Einstein developed the theory of special relativity, which states that the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers. As a result of this theory, Einstein derived the equation E=mc^2 to explain the relationship between energy and mass.

What is the significance of the speed of light in the equation E=mc^2?

The speed of light, represented by c in the equation E=mc^2, is a fundamental constant in physics. It is the fastest possible speed at which energy or information can travel. This constant plays a crucial role in understanding the relationship between energy and mass.

What is the meaning of the imaginary number i in the equation X=sqrt (-1)?

The imaginary number i is a mathematical concept that represents the square root of -1. It is used in complex numbers to solve equations that cannot be solved with real numbers alone. In the equation X=sqrt (-1), the imaginary number i is used to find the square root of a negative number, which would otherwise be undefined.

How is the equation X=sqrt (-1) used in science?

The equation X=sqrt (-1) is commonly used in science, particularly in the fields of physics and engineering, to solve complex problems and describe physical phenomena. It is used in quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, and signal processing, among other areas of study.

Similar threads

Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
14
Views
2K
Replies
11
Views
4K
Replies
22
Views
2K
Replies
8
Views
2K
Replies
5
Views
3K
Back
Top