Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe How long is a photon?
Jul 11, 2024
The fascinating enigma of photons takes center stage, exploring their elusive nature and the complexities of measuring them. The hosts use humor, likening light to hot dogs and baseballs, to engage listeners while dissecting quantum mechanics. They discuss the dual nature of light as both waves and particles, and highlight the philosophical implications of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. This playful yet thought-provoking journey will leave you questioning the very essence of light and its behavior in our universe.
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Multiple Models Change The Answer
- Photons require different conceptual models depending on the question you ask about them.
- Which model you use (wave, particle, field) changes what 'length' means.
Campus Poll Revealed Wide Confusion
- Daniel asked UC Irvine students and passersby how long a photon is and got wildly varied answers.
- Responses ranged from 10^-20 cm to 0.001 light years, showing public confusion.
Photons As Quantized Field Ripples
- Quantum field theory treats light as ripples in an electromagnetic field with quantized energy steps.
- That quantization (photons) arises as the field's minimum oscillation units.
