Magnetic Monopoles: Violating Conservation of Energy?

In summary, there is debate about whether the existence of magnetic monopoles would violate the conservation of energy law. Monopoles are believed to be spherical with either a north or south pole, and their charges are thought to be photons moving in or out of the sphere, unlike dipoles where the photons circulate in a loop from north to south.
  • #1
tionis
Gold Member
459
67
Why some say that the existence of magnetic monopoles would violate the conservation of energy law?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
What I'm trying to do here is gather as much facts about monopoles as possible in laymans terms. So if you have any, post it here.

Fact#1

Monopoles are round (like a sphere) with either a north or a south pole.

Fact#2

The charges of the monopole are in fact photons moving or in of the sphere into infinity. Whereas in a dipole, the photons would be circulating from north to south in a loop.
 
  • #3
Neither of those "facts" are so, I am afraid.
 

1. What are magnetic monopoles?

Magnetic monopoles are hypothetical particles that have a single magnetic pole, either a north or south pole, unlike traditional magnets which have both poles. They are predicted to exist in certain theories of physics but have not yet been observed in experiments.

2. How do magnetic monopoles violate conservation of energy?

Magnetic monopoles are thought to violate conservation of energy because they would allow for the creation or destruction of magnetic fields. In traditional magnets, the magnetic field lines always form closed loops, meaning the field cannot be created or destroyed. However, if magnetic monopoles exist, they would have a single pole and could interact with other monopoles to produce a net magnetic charge, thus violating the conservation of energy.

3. What evidence do we have for the existence of magnetic monopoles?

There is currently no direct evidence for the existence of magnetic monopoles. However, some theories of physics, such as Grand Unified Theories and String Theory, predict their existence. Additionally, there have been some observations in particle accelerator experiments that could potentially be explained by the presence of magnetic monopoles, but these observations are not conclusive.

4. How would the discovery of magnetic monopoles impact our understanding of physics?

The discovery of magnetic monopoles would have significant implications for our understanding of physics. It would provide evidence for the existence of higher dimensions and could potentially unify the fundamental forces of nature. It would also require a reevaluation of the laws of physics, including the conservation of energy.

5. Can magnetic monopoles be created or observed in a laboratory setting?

Currently, there is no technology available to create or observe magnetic monopoles in a laboratory setting. However, scientists are actively researching and developing new methods and technologies to potentially detect these elusive particles. If they are successful, it could open up new avenues of research and revolutionize our understanding of the universe.

Similar threads

Replies
5
Views
265
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
13
Views
2K
  • Other Physics Topics
Replies
7
Views
936
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
12
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • Other Physics Topics
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Beyond the Standard Models
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
1
Views
928
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
1
Views
2K
Back
Top