MadSci Network: Physics |
Rick, At the nuclear distance scale, 10^-15 meters, there is only vacuum between particles. There can't any other medium like air, for example, because the molecules that comprise air are much too large, bigger than 10^-10 meters in diameter. Virtual particles are theoretical constructs that are useful in a way of calculating answers in quantum mechanics called "perturbation theory". Since problems in quantum mechanics involving interactions are extremely difficult to solve exactly, one uses easily derived solutions to the non-interacting theory to build up solutions to the complicated interacting theory. In some cases, perturbation theory works so well that it is tempting to think of the virtual particles as actually existing, rather than as a computational device. I advise against this. But to answer your question: Yes, virtual particles between the nucleus of an atom and its electrons must be taken into account in any calculations. In fact, there is no place in the Universe exempt from having virtual particles in the calculations. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_particle --Dr. Randall J. Scalise http://www.physics.smu.edu/scalise
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