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Question for a Physicist
October 5, 2016 at 4:51 am
I watched a discussion forum in which Lawrence Krauss gave an example of "something from nothing". He said that when an electron emits a photon something is created from nothing because the electron is not diminished in any way. So, for us non-scientists, is this a good reply to use when arguing with those theists that say something can not come from nothing? Does this reply reveal a basic principle of nature that extends to a more universal application in debate?
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RE: Question for a Physicist
October 5, 2016 at 4:55 am
(This post was last modified: October 5, 2016 at 4:56 am by Alex K.)
Seems to me like a really bad example for anything. The electron radiates off a photon, and the energy the photon gets is carried by the electron before that. I don't know how that would qualify as creation from nothing. Sure, the electron is still there after the radiation event, but is that what creation from nothing is?
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
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RE: Question for a Physicist
October 5, 2016 at 5:02 am
(October 5, 2016 at 4:55 am)Alex K Wrote: Seems to me like a really bad example for anything. The electron radiates off a photon, and the energy the photon gets is carried by the electron before that. I don't know how that would qualify as creation from nothing. Sure, the electron is still there after the radiation event, but is that what creation from nothing is?
Seemed a bit to easy. Thanks Alex. Finally I can disagree with Krauss about something.
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RE: Question for a Physicist
October 5, 2016 at 5:35 am
So essentially the electron has gathered this energy then releases it in the form of a photon?
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RE: Question for a Physicist
October 5, 2016 at 5:54 am
(October 5, 2016 at 5:50 am)Alex K Wrote: (October 5, 2016 at 5:35 am)chimp3 Wrote: So essentially the electron has gathered this energy then releases it in the form of a photon?
Yup. In the language of feynman diagrams, the electron absorbs a bit of energy and "goes off the mass shell" as the jargon says, which means it briefly violates the E=mc^2 relation in order to store the energy which then gets pumpted e.g. into a newly created photon.
Fascinating. Thanks.
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RE: Question for a Physicist
October 5, 2016 at 7:47 am
Maybe you misunderstood what Krauss was saying?
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RE: Question for a Physicist
October 5, 2016 at 7:58 am
No, he offered as an example of something from nothing. Tommorow I will post the video.
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