If an electron is a continuous wave then…

[bluestar]

I understand and agree that an electron is only a name for a continuous wave that has collapsed because of an observation or other perturbation. Where observations may be made with electric fields, magnetic fields, or both which cause the collapse the continuous wave.

But what I don’t understand is when two high energy electron waves collide and produce energy and other subatomic particles. Specifically:
1. What is the mechanics of two high energy waves colliding to produce energy?
2. What is the mechanics of two high energy waves degenerating to produce other subatomic particles which themselves are continuous waves?
3. How is there a conservation of energy/mass when you’re dealing with waves?
4. How do you get mass/momentum out of a continuous wave?

 

[humanino]

I understand and agree that an electron is only a name for a continuous wave that has collapsed because of an observation or other perturbation.

You need to worry about this conception. An electron is neither a wave nor a particle. It is a quantum of the electron field. As such, it manifest itself sometimes as what we understand as a particle, sometimes as we we understand is a wave. The mathematical rules are crystal clear, the philosophy of what the object is is a matter of epistemology.

When two electrons collide in an accelerator, viewing them in terms of waves is technically possible but rather involved. You can describe them as wave packets in momentum space with a finite momentum spread, and a decent location according to Heisenberg. But the phenomenon is in that case best understood in terms of what we call particles.

 

[sir-pinski]

I appreciate your understanding and agreement that an electron is not a solid particle but rather a continuous wave. As for your questions about the mechanics of high energy wave collisions, I will try my best to provide an explanation.

1. When two high energy electron waves collide, they essentially interact with each other and exchange energy. This exchange of energy can result in the production of other particles, as well as the release of energy in the form of photons. The exact mechanics of this process are still not fully understood, but it is believed to involve the transformation of energy into matter and vice versa, as described by Einstein's famous equation E=mc^2.

2. The mechanics of high energy waves degenerating to produce other subatomic particles also involves the transformation of energy into matter. When the energy of the colliding waves is high enough, it can create enough energy to form new particles, such as protons, neutrons, and other subatomic particles. This process is known as pair production and is a fundamental aspect of quantum mechanics.

3. When dealing with waves, there is still a conservation of energy and mass, even though they may not have a physical form. This is because energy and mass are interchangeable, as described by Einstein's equation mentioned earlier. So, when waves collide and produce new particles or release energy, the total amount of energy and mass remains constant.

4. While it may be difficult to understand how mass and momentum can be obtained from a continuous wave, it is important to remember that these concepts are also related to energy. The energy of a wave can be described in terms of its frequency and amplitude, and this energy can be converted into mass and momentum through various processes, as described above.

I hope this helps to clarify some of your questions about the mechanics of high energy wave collisions and the relationship between waves, energy, and matter. It is important to remember that the behavior of subatomic particles is still a subject of ongoing research and there is still much to be discovered and understood.