Could electron scatter off vacuum fluctuations?

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SUMMARY

Electrons can scatter off virtual photons from a Coulomb field, allowing for energy and momentum conservation due to their connection to an external field. In contrast, electrons cannot scatter off virtual photons from vacuum fluctuations because such interactions would violate conservation laws. The key distinction lies in the relationship between virtual photons and their respective fields, where Coulomb field photons have a defined source, unlike vacuum fluctuations.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of quantum electrodynamics (QED)
  • Familiarity with the concept of virtual particles
  • Knowledge of conservation laws in physics
  • Basic grasp of electromagnetic fields and interactions
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the role of virtual particles in quantum field theory
  • Study the implications of conservation laws in particle physics
  • Explore the concept of vacuum fluctuations in quantum mechanics
  • Examine the differences between real and virtual photons in QED
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Physicists, students of quantum mechanics, and anyone interested in the principles of quantum electrodynamics and particle interactions.

asya
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Electron can scatter off virtual photon of Coulomb field (or even emit real photon). But why it cannot do the same off virtual photons of vacuum fluctuations without external field?
 
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Energy and momentum are conserved. Such a scattering process would change them.
 
Intuitively I understand that.
But formally what is a difference between a virtual photon of Coulomb field and a virtual photon of ground state vacuum fluctuations? Why in the first case conservation lows are OK but in the second one not?
 
The virtual photon from the Coulomb field has a "connection" to something else where it can transfer momentum to.
 
Yes, I see...
Thank you!
 

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