Saturday, October 8, 2011

The Principle of Wave-particle duality from Quantum Mechanics

Wave-Particle Duality is the fact that light and matter exhibit the properties of both waves and particles. This is a key concept of quantum mechanics.

Subatomic particles have a dual nature that is some times they act like particles, exhibiting properties like scattering and at other times they behave as waves, exhibiting properties like interference and diffraction.

The photoelectric effect is the situation where photons of light eject electrons from a sheet of metal like interacting partials are supposed to behave. The Davission-Germer experiment is an experiment in which an electron beam is aimed a nickel crystal in whith the resulting scattering has peeks and valise do to diffraction.

The wave length of a particle's wave is l = h / p.  Where l is the wave length, p is momentum and  h is Planck's constant  Now this relationship is just the first part of wave particle duality. The actual wave function is denoted by Y (Psi).  While the exact formula varies with the situation, the wave function is always a complex number. It is related to the probability of finding the particle at a given point in pace.

The probability of finding a partial at a given point in space is denoted by |Y(x)|2 also denoted by Y* Y  where the complex number is  Y = A + iB and the complex conjugate: Y* = A – iB The over all space the probability density = 1.

In conclusion matter behaves as both particles and waves. The wave nature is related to the probability of finding a particle at a given location at a given time.


Friday, October 7, 2011

Physics and Newton's Third Law of Motion

Newton's 3rd law states that for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. Put another way when you push on an object it pushes you back.

The starting principle of Newton's 3rd law is the law of conservation of momentum The law of conservation of momentum states  that the total change in a system’s motion to be zero. As a result moving a mass requires moving another mass in the opposite direction.

This law is commonly seen in rockets as the flame that is seen coming from the bottom of the rocket is propellant mass that is being ejected from the engines. This mass provides the action whose reaction pushes the rocket forward. Jets work on same basic principle but the main differ deference between a jet and a rocket is that jets take in air as part of their propellant mass making them more efficient than rockets since they are nor required to carry all that mass onboard.

The basic concept of Newton's 3rd law is that two masses push on each other with equal force. Equal mass will move away at the same speed. When one mass is smaller the other and if the force is kept the same, the smaller mass moves away faster and the heavier mass moves at the same speed as before. If one keeps the masses the same as in the last example but this time the force is larger then they both fly apart faster. The smaller mass still moves much faster than the larger mass.

One thing that is a little counter interactive is the fact that when a car that is being driven down the road, the Earth is actually being pushed in the opposite direction. To be fair this affect is extremely small but it is sill not zero and the traffic that is going opposite direction averages out to zero net force. It gets even stranger since even when you are just walking around you are actually pushing the Earth in the opposite direction. Once again it is still an extremely small, in fact much smaller than in a car; but still not zero. Furthermore all the people and animals in the world the affect will still average out to be zero.

Like wise when a planet moves around its star the planet pulls back on the star causing it to wobble slightly. This is a main way that extra Solar planets are detected.  

Newton's 3rd law of Motion boils down to the fact that when one object pushes on another object, the second object pushes back. It is an important part of every change in motion in the universe because with out it no changes in motion would ever occur in the universe.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Newton's Second Law of Motion and Physics

Newton's 2nd Law of Motion states that a mass acted on by a force undergoes acceleration in the direction of the force, with a magnitude inversely proportional to the mass and proportional to the force.

Newton's 2nd Law shows that a force being applied to a mass produces a steady increase in speed. Furthermore decreasing the mass and increasing the force produces a faster increase in speed and increasing the mass and decreasing the force produces a slower increase in speed.

All changes in motion are based on Newton's 2nd Law including changes in speed and direction. It is indeed fundamental to understanding of motion since without it changes in motion can not be properly understood.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Newton's first Law of Motion a law of Physics

Newton's 1st Law of Motion states that a body will remain in motion or at rest unless acted on by an out side force. This law is also known as the law of inertia because inertia is the resistance to changes in motion. Newton's 1st Law shows that an object continues to move without changes in its motion until a force is imparted on it.

Every movement we make uses of Newton's 1st Law. Without the fist law of motion controlling motion is probably not even be possible. All possible methods of controlling motion depend on the first larw. The 1st law of motion shows that motion remains the same without an outside force. We use it in every move we make.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Dimensions are the Directions in Physics

Dimensions are mutually perpendicular directions. The depiction of dimensions is as an axis lines that show the direction of a particular dimension.

Building dimensions starts with a point which has zero dimensions. This can be expanded into one dimension to form a line. The lined can be expanded into two dimensions to form a plane and that plain can be expanded into three dimensions to form a space. This process can be expanded indefinitely with no theoretical limit to the number of dimensions despite the fact that our existence has only three spacial dimensions any number of dimensions is theoretically possible.

In physics dimensions have been classically used with space however Spacial Relativity added time as a dimension. Cosmological Relativity adds cosmic expansion velocity as a dimension. String theory uses from 10 - 26 dimensions and M theory uses 11 dimensions. Mathematically any number of dimensions is possible from zero to infinite dimensions.

Nth Dimensional Modeling is useful for describing more than physical dimensions it can model the distribution of any set of properties expressed as numbers.

While dimensions are primarily used to describe space and time though some physical theories use more than three spacial dimensions specifically string theory. They can also be used to model the distribution of non spacial properties.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Space is Not Nothing

Space is the three dimensional extent in which objects and events occur, with a relative position to other objects and events. In a more general sense space can refer to an nth dimensional hyper-volume. 

Space is often illustrated by 3 lines representing the three spacial dimensions. They are the axis of a 3d graph. In 3d space you can move in 3 directions forwards and backwards; up and down and left to right. General Relativity depicts space and time as a fabric that can be warped, bent, twisted, stretched and contracted. Quantum Mechanics describes subatomic particles coming and going even in a vacuum. Space is not empty, it is not nothing. Yes I know this is a double negative however empty space is normally thought of as nothing but it is something.

Basic SI unit – meter (m) which is the distance traveled by light in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second.

The most common methods of measuring space are rulers but odometers are another common way of measuring distance and there by space. Other methods include bouncing light, radio waves, or sound off of an object using the return time to measure distance. These include radar and sonar. Parallax uses geometry to measure distance it is used in Astronomy and land surveying.

Distance and position must be measured according to some standard. The standard has to be a chosen point in space. The point is selected by ether convenience or convention with out such a starting point determining distance and position is impossible..

Space is one of the three main parts of the Universe space, time and mass. Relativity shows them to be inter-related with space and time are so interrelated that they form a single entity.  Intern mass warps space-time forming gravity and motion of mass contracts both space and time.

In conclusion based on common experience space is basically where you are. You are at a particular point in space relative to other objects. Physics however has shown it to be a lot more. It is a fundamental part of the universe.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

It is Time for Physics.

Time is the dimension that is characterized by sequences of events. In physics it is seen as a 4th dimension

The basic SI unit for time is the second. Its duration is defined as a 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation of the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium133 atom. It was originally defined based on a day.

Other units of time include the minute which is 60 seconds, the hour which is 60 minutes or 3600 seconds, the day which is the time needed for the sun to return to its highest in the sky or about 24 hours, the week which is a period of 7 days, the month which is based originally on orbital period of the moon and varies from 28-31 day and the year which is based on the orbital period of the Earth as it moves around the Sun and is a period of 365.2596 days. The week is the only time unit not based on an astronomical period being based on the Jewish Sabbath cycle which is based on the creation week of Genesis 1. The calendar year is rounded to 365 days with a leap day every 4 years.

According to Special and General Relativity time is a 4th dimension. It is unique in that we only travel through time one way. (forward).

Time is one of the three main parts of the Universe: space, time and mass. Relativity shows them to be inter-related with space and time are so interrelated that they form a single entity.  Mass warps space-time forming gravity and motion of mass contracts both space and time.

The perception of the rate of time is variable but time is always experienced in the same way. We remember the past, we exist in the present and we look forward to the future. In our common experience time is the sequence of events we experience. Physics has shown that it is to be a lot more. It is a fundamental part of the universe.