Light Speed Photon: Everywhere at Once?

In summary, what relativity and QFT tell us is that there is no meaningful way to talk about the reference frame of a photon. Gravity affects both time and space, so a photon that exists everywhere at once could be affected by gravity.
  • #1
Tom Phillippe
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0
A photon traveling from its source at light speed is said to not experience time and therefore be everywhere at once. Well not exactly, it can only be everywhere at once along its projected path assuming the photon's path in a vacuum is not altered by anything. Time itself cannot alter the path. Gravity however, affects both time and space and therefore could alter the path of a photon that exists everywhere at once along a path unaffected by time. Is this correct?
 
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  • #2
A photon traveling from its source at light speed is said to not experience time and therefore be everywhere at once.
By whom is this said?
Can you provide a link to an authoritive source?

The reason I ask is because what relativity and QFT tells us is that there is no meaningful way to talk about the reference frame of a photon.
The sentence suggests a misunderstanding of time dilation too ... so it is hard to know what the author is trying to say without access to the reference.

Well not exactly, it can only be everywhere at once along its projected path assuming the photon's path in a vacuum is not altered by anything.
Similarly - the trajectory of a photon is not a well defined concept.
The "photon" belongs to quantum models where position and momentum are uncertain. Photons are understood in terms of probabilities.
In Relativity, we do not use photons.

Time itself cannot alter the path.
Time is a dimension, not a force.
But, by definition, nothing can alter the path of anything. The path that something takes is the path that it takes.

Gravity however, affects both time and space and therefore could alter the path of a photon that exists everywhere at once along a path unaffected by time. Is this correct?
As you are probably figuring out, the short answer is "no". But only because it sounds too confused to give any other answer.

Curvature of space-time is gravity - not an effect of gravity.

In GR, all light rays are straight lines in space-time. The curved paths for light in gravity is an artifact of the observer's reference frame - which is no longer inertial..
 

Related to Light Speed Photon: Everywhere at Once?

1. What is the concept of "Light Speed Photon: Everywhere at Once"?

The concept of "Light Speed Photon: Everywhere at Once" refers to a theoretical particle that travels at the speed of light and can be present in multiple places at the same time. It is based on the principles of quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity.

2. How is the idea of a particle being in multiple places at once possible?

According to quantum mechanics, particles can exhibit behaviors such as superposition and entanglement, where they can exist in multiple states or locations simultaneously. This is known as the wave-particle duality of quantum particles.

3. Can light really travel at the speed of light?

Yes, according to the theory of relativity, the speed of light in a vacuum is the fastest speed possible and cannot be exceeded. However, this only applies to the speed of light in a vacuum and not in other mediums such as air or water.

4. How does the idea of "Light Speed Photon: Everywhere at Once" impact our understanding of the universe?

The concept of a particle being in multiple places at once challenges our traditional understanding of cause and effect, and the concept of a fixed and predictable universe. It also has implications for fields such as communication, computing, and quantum mechanics.

5. Is there any evidence to support the existence of "Light Speed Photon: Everywhere at Once"?

Currently, there is no direct evidence to support the existence of a "Light Speed Photon: Everywhere at Once." However, many experiments and observations in the field of quantum mechanics have shown behaviors that suggest the possibility of particles being in multiple places at once.

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