Do virtual photons cause static electricity?

skywolf · Sep 17, 2005

so i was reading about QED, and it said that when 2 charged particles repelled each other, it was because of virtual photons. is it true then that static electricity is caused by virtual photons, or is it an entirely different force all toghether?

Kruger · Sep 17, 2005

It is true. The electromagnetic interaction in quantum theories is described by the exchange of virtual photons.

dextercioby · Sep 19, 2005

And one more thing: static electricity is a classical (very rough) concept. I mean those particles (electrons and ions) still have thermal movement. Actually, we say that QFT is mainly thought and made at 0 K. Modern texts treat QFT also at finite temperature, meaning T>0 K.

Daniel.

Do virtual photons cause static electricity?

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Do virtual photons cause static electricity?

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