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Devin, In a message dated 97-11-17 10:34:08 EST, you write: << Actually.... electromagnetic radiation is a particle..... and a wave..... -D really, sort of... >> ---------------------------------------------- Technically you're right. But then, actually, we're all wrong. (again; really, sort of) You have just entered the realm where men have to write entire books just to define one term, get a seemingly simple point across, or say what they mean without being misunderstood. Elemental matter and energy exhibit properties of both waves and particles. Actually, we have no earthly idea what anything really "is" - no knowledge of the deep realities of the universe. So, all we can ultimately say about these entities is that they exhibit properties of this or that and we can only describe them (and most other phenomena) by describing how they react under the influence of other phenomena, which we also have no real understanding of. Since we don't know what an electron actually "IS", and never can, we are stuck having to define it by what it appears to "do". Quantum theory is an attempt on the part of physicists to deal with this dilemma and still be able to work with matter and energy in some seemingly meaningful way in spite of the fact that it defies intuition. Just like Newton's set of laws these too will be found wanting some day and modified accordingly. Matter and energy are mathematically expressible in the same terms and by the same formulas at this level and the quantum concept of a wave takes a book to describe (and turns out not to be exactly what we normally think of as waves). There is no quantum concept of a particle that satisfactorily cross references to our intuitive ideas. I "think" one of the things we can say about electrons and protons that we can not say about gamma rays (in spite of the fact that they all exhibit properties of both waves and particles) is that they are easily stopped by other matter and seem to remain intact as when they pile up on a surface creating a charge or strike this screen I am looking at and bleed off, still actually in the circuit. Gamma rays, however, are not so much stopped by matter as absorbed, whereupon they become non existent as separate independent entities. (please don't go into wave functions and probable position / velocity / direction ). It's rough having only 5 pitiful short range senses and an inquiring mind that you can't always trust. Nature is cruel ! Then again, maybe it is very kind to allow us our delusions ? All very stimulating stuff, but you realize, of course, that if we go much further with this heavy theory stuff were going to be drummed off the list. At the speeds we're dealing with we better stick with Newton's summation of the situation. Good response, but I don't have time to bite right now. This is just a nibble on the line. Maybe we can get Esat going ? Chuck -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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