MadSci Network: Physics
Query:

Re: Do virtual particles appear only in a vacuum?

Date: Sat Jun 26 19:06:37 2010
Posted By: Randall Scalise, Faculty, Physics
Area of science: Physics
ID: 1276468750.Ph
Message:

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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