2 ms·
Where does the momentum go when the virtual particles re-annihilate? Even if it is pushing against QM background I suspect that could only be part of the story
by api 10y ago
Where does the momentum go when the virtual particles re-annihilate?
Even if it is pushing against QM background I suspect that could only be part of the story. There has to be an "and then" unless we want to toss a conservation law.
Many physicists think there is likely dark matter and that it is actual matter with mass, so I've repeatedly seen that thrown out as a potential answer for where momentum might be going eventually. Maybe messing with the QM background is how that happens... somehow. Maybe weakly interacting dark matter particles interact with the microwave background or something.
- madaxe_again 10y agoMaybe the quantum background ends up with the momentum. Honestly, don't have a better hypothesis, but if we're to accept pilot waves we end up back at luminiferous aether, so it's anyone's guess. I still reckon there's an experimental error somewhere - but if there isn't, it's undeniably a big deal.
- Can_Not 10y agoI doubt anyone is suggesting the momentum is actually gone (in terms of violating laws). But indeed, where is it going? Perhaps in less than 100 years we discover that is the cause of a new type of pollution.