How Does Spacetime “Tell an <i>Electron</i> How to Move”?
Minkowski spacetime provides a background framework for the kinematics and dynamics of classical particles. How the framework <i>implements</i> the motion of matter is not specified within special relativity. In this paper we specify how Minkowski space can implement motion in such a way...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Symmetry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/13/12/2283 |
| _version_ | 1797500370585387008 |
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| author | Garnet Ord |
| author_facet | Garnet Ord |
| author_sort | Garnet Ord |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Minkowski spacetime provides a background framework for the kinematics and dynamics of classical particles. How the framework <i>implements</i> the motion of matter is not specified within special relativity. In this paper we specify how Minkowski space can implement motion in such a way that ’quantum’ propagation occurs on appropriate scales. This is done by starting in a discrete space and explicitly taking a continuum limit. The argument is direct and illuminates the special tension between ’rest’ and ’uniform motion’ found in Minkowski space, showing how the formal analytic continuations involved in Minkowski space and quantum propagation arise from the same source. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:00:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5f3a9fd8f2ae47549c9f9960510f5499 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-8994 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:00:51Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Symmetry |
| spelling | doaj.art-5f3a9fd8f2ae47549c9f9960510f54992023-11-23T10:44:50ZengMDPI AGSymmetry2073-89942021-12-011312228310.3390/sym13122283How Does Spacetime “Tell an <i>Electron</i> How to Move”?Garnet Ord0Department of Mathematics, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, CanadaMinkowski spacetime provides a background framework for the kinematics and dynamics of classical particles. How the framework <i>implements</i> the motion of matter is not specified within special relativity. In this paper we specify how Minkowski space can implement motion in such a way that ’quantum’ propagation occurs on appropriate scales. This is done by starting in a discrete space and explicitly taking a continuum limit. The argument is direct and illuminates the special tension between ’rest’ and ’uniform motion’ found in Minkowski space, showing how the formal analytic continuations involved in Minkowski space and quantum propagation arise from the same source.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/13/12/2283special relativityquantum propagationcontinuum vs. discrete |
| spellingShingle | Garnet Ord How Does Spacetime “Tell an <i>Electron</i> How to Move”? Symmetry special relativity quantum propagation continuum vs. discrete |
| title | How Does Spacetime “Tell an <i>Electron</i> How to Move”? |
| title_full | How Does Spacetime “Tell an <i>Electron</i> How to Move”? |
| title_fullStr | How Does Spacetime “Tell an <i>Electron</i> How to Move”? |
| title_full_unstemmed | How Does Spacetime “Tell an <i>Electron</i> How to Move”? |
| title_short | How Does Spacetime “Tell an <i>Electron</i> How to Move”? |
| title_sort | how does spacetime tell an i electron i how to move |
| topic | special relativity quantum propagation continuum vs. discrete |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/13/12/2283 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT garnetord howdoesspacetimetellanielectronihowtomove |