Chapter 3
The Dirac Electron as a Massless Charge
Spinning at Light Speed: Implications on
Some Basic Physical Concepts
Jean Maruani
Abstract The Dirac equation, which was derived by combining, in a consistent
manner, the relativistic invariance condition with the quantum probability principle, has shown its fecundity by explaining the half-integer spin of fermions and
predicting antimatter, the first resulting from a wave beat between a particle and its
antiparticle. In the previous paper, it was conjectured that the spinning motion of the
electron is that of a massless charge vibrating at light speed, and that this internal
motion is responsible for the rest mass measured in external motions (inertia) and
interactions (gravitation). In this paper, we develop implications of this concept on
such basic properties as time, mass, electric charge, and magnetic moment.
‘[Now let man] search, amidst what he knows, the most delicate things. Let a small insect
offer him, within his tiny body, incomparably smaller things . . . . Dividing these latter further, . . . , the last object he can attain will be that of our discourse . . . . I want to present him
a new abyss . . . within this embryo of an atom. There, he will see an infinity of universes,
each with its firmament, planets, earth, . . . , animals, and eventually small insects, within
which he will meet again what the former have given . . . .’
Blaise Pascal (1623–1662), Pensées (translated from the French)
3.1 Introduction
Wave mechanics originated from a detailed analysis by Louis de Broglie [1] of the
Maupertuis and Fermat principles in classical mechanics and classical optics, together with a comparison of Einstein’s quantum frequency-energy relationship in for
light (ΔE = hν) and relativistic matter-energy relationship for matter (E = mc 2 ).
This led him to the concept of matter waves:
λ B = h/mv,
(3.1)
where m and v are the mass and velocity of the matter particle.
J. Maruani (B)
Laboratoire de Chimie Physique-Matière et Rayonnement, CNRS & UPMC,
11, rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
e-mail: jemmaran@gmail.com
M. Hotokka et al. (eds.), Advances in Quantum Methods and Applications in
Chemistry, Physics, and Biology, Progress in Theoretical Chemistry and Physics 27,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-01529-3_3,
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2013
53
The Dirac Electron as a Massless Charge
Spinning at Light Speed: Implications on
Some Basic Physical Concepts
Jean Maruani
Abstract The Dirac equation, which was derived by combining, in a consistent
manner, the relativistic invariance condition with the quantum probability principle, has shown its fecundity by explaining the half-integer spin of fermions and
predicting antimatter, the first resulting from a wave beat between a particle and its
antiparticle. In the previous paper, it was conjectured that the spinning motion of the
electron is that of a massless charge vibrating at light speed, and that this internal
motion is responsible for the rest mass measured in external motions (inertia) and
interactions (gravitation). In this paper, we develop implications of this concept on
such basic properties as time, mass, electric charge, and magnetic moment.
‘[Now let man] search, amidst what he knows, the most delicate things. Let a small insect
offer him, within his tiny body, incomparably smaller things . . . . Dividing these latter further, . . . , the last object he can attain will be that of our discourse . . . . I want to present him
a new abyss . . . within this embryo of an atom. There, he will see an infinity of universes,
each with its firmament, planets, earth, . . . , animals, and eventually small insects, within
which he will meet again what the former have given . . . .’
Blaise Pascal (1623–1662), Pensées (translated from the French)
3.1 Introduction
Wave mechanics originated from a detailed analysis by Louis de Broglie [1] of the
Maupertuis and Fermat principles in classical mechanics and classical optics, together with a comparison of Einstein’s quantum frequency-energy relationship in for
light (ΔE = hν) and relativistic matter-energy relationship for matter (E = mc 2 ).
This led him to the concept of matter waves:
λ B = h/mv,
(3.1)
where m and v are the mass and velocity of the matter particle.
J. Maruani (B)
Laboratoire de Chimie Physique-Matière et Rayonnement, CNRS & UPMC,
11, rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
e-mail: jemmaran@gmail.com
M. Hotokka et al. (eds.), Advances in Quantum Methods and Applications in
Chemistry, Physics, and Biology, Progress in Theoretical Chemistry and Physics 27,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-01529-3_3,
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2013
53