expanding space by this factor would enlarge the radius of Jupiter’s orbit by about
the radius of a hydrogen atom. These considerations imply that an electron would
produce a virtually undetectable difference between the experimental and theoretical values of the g-factor.
One final point concerning particle size. The highly successful Dirac equation
[18] also supports this model. The Dirac equation assumes that an electron is
always propagating at the speed of light. The average speed is less than c because
the motion is mathematically characterized as ±c. Erwin Schrodinger interpreted the
Dirac equation. References [19, 20] as implying that a point charge is undergoing
“zitterbewegung” (a trembling motion) at the speed of light. The frequency is equal
to ω c and the distributed volume of the motion can be interpreted as having
dimensions comparable to
k c . Other physicists [21–25] have since proposed variations of the Schrodinger model, also with dimensions on the order of
k c .
The proposed spacetime particle model satisfies the Dirac equation and has both
similarities and differences compared to the Schrodinger model. The similarity is
that the spacetime wave model has speed of light propagation within a volume with
radius
k c at a frequency of ω c. The difference is that there is no point particle.
Instead a dipole wave in spacetime with quantized angular momentum fills a volume with radius
k c and undergoes a somewhat chaotic propagation at the speed of
light.
4.6 Inertia Test
Previously, we saw that the spacetime particle model passes the test of having the
correct energy. When we substituted x c ,
k c , and A s into Eq. (5) we obtained
E ¼ kE i . However, is it fair to assume that merely because we obtained the correct
energy this automatically translates into obtaining the correct inertia (rest mass)? To
examine the origin of inertia, we will start with a thought experiment. Suppose that
there was a hypothetical box with 100 % reflecting internal walls. Any light trapped
in such a box is “confined light”. A freely propagating photon is a massless particle
but what about a confined photon in the 100 % reflecting box? Suppose that the box
initially contains an electron and a positron. Then after some time these two particles interact and their energy is converted to two confined gamma ray photons.
Would there be any difference in the box’s total inertia when the energy is in the
form of confined particles compared to the same energy in the form of confined
photons? If there is any difference, then this would be a violation of the conservation of momentum. This implies that a “confined photon” acquires inertia that is
indistinguishable from a particle’s inertia even under relativistic conditions.
The mathematical proof that confined light exhibits inertia is available [14] but
the concept is easy to explain. Suppose that two 100 % reflecting mirrors are
aligned to form an optical resonant cavity similar to a laser. It would be possible to
have a specific amount of energy in the form of electromagnetic (EM) radiation
confined between the two reflectors. Now suppose that the two aligned mirrors are
Spacetime-Based Foundation of Quantum Mechanics …
237
the radius of a hydrogen atom. These considerations imply that an electron would
produce a virtually undetectable difference between the experimental and theoretical values of the g-factor.
One final point concerning particle size. The highly successful Dirac equation
[18] also supports this model. The Dirac equation assumes that an electron is
always propagating at the speed of light. The average speed is less than c because
the motion is mathematically characterized as ±c. Erwin Schrodinger interpreted the
Dirac equation. References [19, 20] as implying that a point charge is undergoing
“zitterbewegung” (a trembling motion) at the speed of light. The frequency is equal
to ω c and the distributed volume of the motion can be interpreted as having
dimensions comparable to
k c . Other physicists [21–25] have since proposed variations of the Schrodinger model, also with dimensions on the order of
k c .
The proposed spacetime particle model satisfies the Dirac equation and has both
similarities and differences compared to the Schrodinger model. The similarity is
that the spacetime wave model has speed of light propagation within a volume with
radius
k c at a frequency of ω c. The difference is that there is no point particle.
Instead a dipole wave in spacetime with quantized angular momentum fills a volume with radius
k c and undergoes a somewhat chaotic propagation at the speed of
light.
4.6 Inertia Test
Previously, we saw that the spacetime particle model passes the test of having the
correct energy. When we substituted x c ,
k c , and A s into Eq. (5) we obtained
E ¼ kE i . However, is it fair to assume that merely because we obtained the correct
energy this automatically translates into obtaining the correct inertia (rest mass)? To
examine the origin of inertia, we will start with a thought experiment. Suppose that
there was a hypothetical box with 100 % reflecting internal walls. Any light trapped
in such a box is “confined light”. A freely propagating photon is a massless particle
but what about a confined photon in the 100 % reflecting box? Suppose that the box
initially contains an electron and a positron. Then after some time these two particles interact and their energy is converted to two confined gamma ray photons.
Would there be any difference in the box’s total inertia when the energy is in the
form of confined particles compared to the same energy in the form of confined
photons? If there is any difference, then this would be a violation of the conservation of momentum. This implies that a “confined photon” acquires inertia that is
indistinguishable from a particle’s inertia even under relativistic conditions.
The mathematical proof that confined light exhibits inertia is available [14] but
the concept is easy to explain. Suppose that two 100 % reflecting mirrors are
aligned to form an optical resonant cavity similar to a laser. It would be possible to
have a specific amount of energy in the form of electromagnetic (EM) radiation
confined between the two reflectors. Now suppose that the two aligned mirrors are
Spacetime-Based Foundation of Quantum Mechanics …
237