Hey guys, I'm a Geek, here to learn

[MadLuke]

Hey guys,

My nickname is Luke, feel free to call me that, or newb, noob, any combination really. I am going to be very open about my self and low skill level.

I'm probably the last person who thought he would chose this, and my family likely thinks the same thing, but I'm not happy as I am right now. Its time for more than a change, time to reinvent a new Luke completely.

For the last 10+ years I've focused on my work, my science, above all else. I didn't care about school, relationships, the works. See, Im an unrepentant geek, through and through. I know more about physics and science than most if my family, including a chemist and two engineers. I was always pushed for academia over all else because thats what my parents felt was all I could do.

I'm a head case you see, I have a constant migraine headache, which has confounded doctors for 17 years. Most of my life has been dictated by doctors, and most of my medical problems Caused by them.

Because of this, my parents kept me directed at the books, and I got used to it. Until recently, I never felt I needed drastic changes. Now I know.

 

[Megatron28]

Welcome! Lots to read and learn a out here. Don't worry as nobody is born knowing this stuff or majored in it during college.

Regarding physics, can you please explain why a massless particle (photon) can behave as both a particle and a wave?

 

[MadLuke]

That one is simple, but get ready for your head to explode.....

Okay, so first off, there are two train of though, one is the relativistic(Einstein / most mainstream physicists), where the photon behaves like a wave because its pure energy with perfect cohesion, meaning it doesnt fall apart or weaken due to the square of the distance from the source. This train maintains no mass.

And the second is non-relativistic, where its a particle with resonance, but because it moves so fast, that resonance presents itself with a wave form. Its still an energy with perfect cohesion that doesnt doesn't weaken or lose energy with the square of the distance, BUT it does this because it has some minuscule amout of mass, that constantly maintains its state as a particle.

Funny you should pick something that was the topic of a paper i wrote in 9th grade, lol

 

[Megatron28]

Under number one, can you elaborate how something is a wave if it doesn't "weaken or fall apart" as it distances itself from the source?

So under number two, how can the photon travel at the speed of light if it is some degree of mass? Wouldn't that require infinite energy?

 

[MadLuke]

#1 its a wave because under relativistic physics ALL energy exists in wave form when released, so its a wave under that presumption. Its how it behaves as a particle that makes it weird, because it can bounce off other particles without losing its shape or energy. It takes a Heck of alot of bounces to make a photon lose even 1% of its energy profile.

#2 since its non-relativistic, no infinate energy needed. But also the theory goes since the mass is so small, around a billionth of an electron, it phases the mass away, and removes it from direct play.

Neither is complete, i understand that. Its a hole in the theory that has bugged me for years.