Chapter 27
What is a Wave and What is Waving?

Up until now it has generally been accepted by the quantum physics community that although the concept of wave-particle duality certainly appeared to be an experimental fact, the idea of what actually led to the wavelike aspect of these tiny objects often remained unclear. Thus we now need to consider the question of what is it that is waving in particles.

Most physicists today would say that Schrodinger’s wave equation tells us that the wavelike aspect exists only up until the particle is observed in some way and then collapses into nothing, leaving the particle in some definite state of certainty, unlike a wave. They would go on to say that the waves that existed before the measurement were not quite like other waves but only kind of probability statement expressing the likelihood of various outcomes being possible. Somehow these probabilities were all able to exist simultaneously while the particle was left undisturbed and unobserved. This approach went under several names, one of which was eventually called the Copenhagen Interpretation and championed by Neils Bohr and Max Born in the late 1920’s.

This is another example of how the meaning of quantum mechanics can differ from classical physics. For strictly following this interpretation implies these waves do not have any actual or physical substance and that therefore they are not quite real. SED asks: How can this be? Physics without reality?

We saw earlier in the section on de Broglie, or matter waves as they are now known, that these are the waves that Schrodinger’s equation is concerned with. We must now ask whether these waves have any substance or reality. This theory maintains they are simply pure E-M waves and yes they do exist and can be measured external to the particle. This is what waves are. A circular disturbance travelling through space.

A property of empty space is its ability to carry energy in the form electromagnetism and thus to support waves of electric and magnetic fields which are able to create each other as they change. They need nothing else as they do this. SED goes on to say these fields are in everything and everything is made from these fields including all light, energy and matter. Nothing else is as fundamental and fields are one of the most basic aspects of physics.

The electromagnetic field cannot exist without waving and changing. It must  also travel at the speed of light as it does so. At the level of sub-atomic particles the frequency of this change is enormous, and this is why matter is very different to empty space. It causes space to twist and compress within and around the particle due to the presence of gigantic fields with their huge energy density continually vibrating in a structure that has three dimensions. These fields are real and measurable.

Matter waves are the result of fields rapidly vibrating as the particle maintains its spin of h regardless of its speed through space relative to any observer. This spin is constant, but its linear momentum need not be, and neither is its energy. Furthermore it can be made to move in a circular path and thus exhibit orbital momentum consisting of many h’s. An object doing this consists of many particles. So many that it has a much larger radius, despite its overall orbital speed being less than c.

As a result of all of this and from our perspective because we are very much bigger, different waves are generated which may or may not be observed. However we must now ask: Do they all do exist and are they real features of electromagnetism emanating or radiating from the particle before they interact with something or are observed by us? Were they merely a potential of some kind before that event?

This is a bit like how we consider potential energy to be not exactly identical to real kinetic energy. It can be given a value at any time or place but is not actually realised until it becomes actualised through a physical event that we can also call an interaction or observation.

Could these matter waves be a similar concept? If so they may not be as mysterious as quantum physics currently tells us. Prior to actuality when an interaction or measurement is made, is potential closer to physical reality than mere probability implies?

The Origin of Everything
(Online Edition)