Random Thought #24

So I was reading over the last couple of days about how light works and a little bit about Quantum Mechanics. I didn't realize this at first, but Quantum Mechanics is just another word for how light works.  Quantum in physics is defined as "the smallest quantity of radiant energy, equal to Planck's constant times the frequency of the associated radiation" Quanta is the plural form of quantum and therefore can be simplified as groups of photons, which is the essential building block for light. Therefore, Quantum Mechanics is nothing more than the study of how light works. I'm especially intrigued with light because whenever you begin talking about matters that deal with God, there are always references to light.

In understanding how light is produced, light is made up of photons. Some believe that it is a stream or particles (photons). Others believe it comes in a wave of photons. Latest theory is that it is a combination of the two. What is a photon and how are they produced? To know this, we have to understand the structure of an atom. An atom is basically a nucleus (protons and neutrons) surrounded by electrons that orbit the nucleus in various orbits. Some elements have a different number of electrons, but as the elements get more complex, the higher the number of electrons. When an electron gets excited, it jumps to a higher orbital. When that electron settles back into its original orbital, the packet of energy released it a photon.

So how do you excite an electron? Apply heat. When you light a light bulb, you heat up the elements with electricity. When you make a fire, you heat up the wood, etc., etc. So getting back to the particle theory of how light is transmitted, in order to find out exactly how light is transmitted, we have to observe it. The problem is that as soon as you view the electrons, you excite them so you never know exactly where the electron orbit is. This is important to us because depending on the distance between the original orbital and the excited orbital determines what color (frequency) the emitted light is. So basically, just by observing the electrons, we aren't seeing them in their original orbits, but have to study them within a range of uncertainty. That's where the wave theory comes into play. Since we can't study the electron (particle) in exactness, we have to measure it within a range. So we find that light is transmitted in particles (photons that are released from excited electrons) but that they are found within a range (waves).

So why does any of this matter? Well, I was watching a video on wormholes and think that this theory that applies to the very small atomic level, could also apply to the cosmic level as well. See, everything has a particular orbit in space, just like electrons have particular orbits around a nucleus. At the same time, Einstein's theory about time and space was that the plane was actually curved (similar to how an orbit is shaped). Wormholes work as a shortcut between two distant parts of the expanse of space when the space/time continuum is bent. Think of drawing two circles on a piece of paper and then folding that paper in half. The circles overlap each other and provide a shortcut from one place to the other. When the paper is flat, the distance could be considered an object's normal orbit, but when its curved, a wormhole exists and can allow for not only travel over great distances, but also time travel, as you are traveling not just through space, but also through time.

Just a bunch of theories but needless to say, I love studying Quantum Mechanics.