- #1
jb35len
- 2
- 0
I am confused about the coupling of the Dirac equation to electromagnetism. The 4-current that is the source for Maxwell's equation that arises from the Lagrangian
\begin{equation}
\mathcal{L}=i\overline{\psi}\gamma^\mu(\partial_\mu+ieA_\mu)\psi-m\overline{\psi}\psi
\end{equation}
is ##j^\mu=e\overline{\psi}\gamma^\mu\psi##.
This ##j^\mu## will give a charge density ##j^0## that has the same sign as ##e##everywhere. Given that the positive and negative energy components of ##\psi## are supposed to represent particles and antiparticles respectively, if ##\psi## has only positive or only negative energy parts then the sign of ##e## can be chosen appropriately. However, if ##\psi## is a general superposition of positive and negative energy components then what are you supposed to do?
I was under the impression that the fact that particles and antiparticles have opposite sign for their charge was a consequence of the theory and not something that is put in by hand. Is this something that can be seen at the level of the classical fields or does it require quantization before you can see that the particle and antiparticle components have opposite sign of charge?
\begin{equation}
\mathcal{L}=i\overline{\psi}\gamma^\mu(\partial_\mu+ieA_\mu)\psi-m\overline{\psi}\psi
\end{equation}
is ##j^\mu=e\overline{\psi}\gamma^\mu\psi##.
This ##j^\mu## will give a charge density ##j^0## that has the same sign as ##e##everywhere. Given that the positive and negative energy components of ##\psi## are supposed to represent particles and antiparticles respectively, if ##\psi## has only positive or only negative energy parts then the sign of ##e## can be chosen appropriately. However, if ##\psi## is a general superposition of positive and negative energy components then what are you supposed to do?
I was under the impression that the fact that particles and antiparticles have opposite sign for their charge was a consequence of the theory and not something that is put in by hand. Is this something that can be seen at the level of the classical fields or does it require quantization before you can see that the particle and antiparticle components have opposite sign of charge?