Exploring Photon Existence: Can They Pop In and Out?

[Cluelessluke]

I have a question. This question, you should know, is based on something that I actually haven't heard in a classroom or anywhere legitimate, so if the assumption that I have that I'm asking my question about is false, just let me know :)

Alright, the thing I'm assuming is true is that photons can pop in and out of existence. I don't really remember where I heard this, but it was a long time ago and I never really questioned it.

Ok, so my questions is, how?

I came up with my own little explanation for how photons can pop into existence. That is, since the energy of an electron can vary due to the uncertainty principle, an electron could jump form one excited state to a higher energy state without receiving any energy. So then when the electron went to a lower energy state, it would release a photon.

So, I guess I have a few questions now that I actually think about it. Is my basis for this question correct (can photons pop in and out of existence), if they can, is my explanation for how they pop into existence correct (if not, what is the real explanation), and, assuming this is all true, how do photons pop out of existence?

Thanks for your time!

 

[blechman]

This all comes down to "how do we define the vacuum?" The problem is that the vacuum in quantum field theory (the "lowest energy state") is not the state with nothing in it! In fact, photons (and any other particles, for that matter) can be created and destroyed thanks to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. For an EXTREMELY naive justification for where this energy "comes from", you can think of it as the zero-point energy of the simple harmonic oscillators. Recall that the idea of QFT is to model fields as a continuum of SHO's, each with their zero-point energy. These add up and allow for particles to be created out of nothing, as long as they fall back into the sea. Like a fish jumping out of the water!

Hope that helps.

 

[denian]

Hello,

Thank you for your question and for providing your own explanation. It is always great to see individuals taking an interest in scientific concepts and trying to understand them better.

First, to answer your initial question, the idea that photons can pop in and out of existence is a concept that is supported by scientific theories and observations. In quantum mechanics, which is the branch of physics that deals with the behavior of particles at the subatomic level, it is believed that particles can exist in a state of superposition, meaning they can exist in multiple states at the same time. This includes photons, which can exist in a state of both particle and wave simultaneously. This concept is supported by experiments such as the double-slit experiment, where particles behave as both waves and particles.

Now, your explanation for how photons can pop into existence is partially correct. It is true that an electron can jump to a higher energy state without receiving any energy, as dictated by the uncertainty principle. However, this does not necessarily mean that a photon will be released when the electron jumps back to a lower energy state. The energy released by the electron may not necessarily be in the form of a photon, but rather it could be released as heat or other forms of energy.

As for how photons pop out of existence, it is believed that they can simply cease to exist or be absorbed by other particles. In quantum mechanics, particles can also undergo a process called annihilation, where a particle and its antiparticle (a particle with the same mass but opposite charge) collide and are converted into energy, which can include photons.

In summary, the concept of photons popping in and out of existence is supported by scientific theories and observations. While your explanation for how they pop into existence is partially correct, the exact mechanism is still not fully understood. As for how they pop out of existence, it can happen through processes such as annihilation. I hope this helps answer your questions. Keep exploring and questioning!