Is energy the same as matter in physics?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between energy and matter in physics, exploring whether energy can be considered a property of matter or if they are fundamentally different entities. Participants examine concepts from quantum field theory and particle physics, including the nature of particles as excitations of fields and the implications of energy in particle interactions.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that energy is a property of matter, likening the question to asking if matter is made of height.
  • Others argue that particles are excitations of quantum fields, suggesting that energy is a concept related to these excitations and their interactions.
  • A participant mentions that in particle accelerators, kinetic energy is used to create new particles, emphasizing that this does not imply a conversion of energy into particles, as the new particles still possess energy.
  • There is a suggestion that particles could be seen as disturbances in a field, raising the question of whether this means particles are made from something non-material.
  • Some participants express confusion about the nature of fields and energy, questioning whether fields are made of energy or if energy is a property of fields.
  • A later reply clarifies that while excitations of fields have energy, they are not equivalent to energy itself, using the example of electromagnetic waves to illustrate this point.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether energy and matter are the same or fundamentally different. Multiple competing views remain, with ongoing questions about the nature of fields and the relationship between energy and matter.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the definitions of energy and matter, as well as the implications of quantum field theory. There are unresolved questions regarding the nature of fields and how they relate to energy and particles.

jubalsquirrelly
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I have been pulling my hair ought over this...

I always see two responses to the above question.

Some say energy is a property of matter and therefore the question is absurd. Its like saying "is matter made of height?"

Others say things like "Yes, particles are just excitations of a thing we call a quantum field: think of having a rubber sheet that extends in all directions, a particle would be a moving ripple in that sheet. What you call energy is just the idea that that ripple can interact with other rubber sheets and become another type of ripples.What happens in particle accelerators (like LHC@CERN) is that you smash two high-energetic particles together in order to convert that energy into new particles."

Which is it? Is matter made of energy?
 
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jubalsquirrelly said:
Some say energy is a property of matter and therefore the question is absurd. Its like saying "is matter made of height?"
Right.
jubalsquirrelly said:
Yes, particles are just excitations of a thing we call a quantum field: think of having a rubber sheet that extends in all directions, a particle would be a moving ripple in that sheet. What you call energy is just the idea that that ripple can interact with other rubber sheets and become another type of ripples.
That is a reasonable description as well.
jubalsquirrelly said:
What happens in particle accelerators (like LHC@CERN) is that you smash two high-energetic particles together in order to convert that energy into new particles."
The kinetic energy is used to create new particles. It is not a conversion of "energy to particles" because the new particles still have energy.
 
mfb said:
Right.That is a reasonable description as well.The kinetic energy is used to create new particles. It is not a conversion of "energy to particles" because the new particles still have energy.
]

Ok, but what would "Yes, particles are just excitations of a thing we call a quantum field" mean?

If this analogy holds then particles are disturbances of something, that particles are matter formed from non matter?
 
jubalsquirrelly said:
I have been pulling my hair ought over this...

I always see two responses to the above question.

Some say energy is a property of matter and therefore the question is absurd. Its like saying "is matter made of height?"

Others say things like "Yes, particles are just excitations of a thing we call a quantum field: think of having a rubber sheet that extends in all directions, a particle would be a moving ripple in that sheet. What you call energy is just the idea that that ripple can interact with other rubber sheets and become another type of ripples.What happens in particle accelerators (like LHC@CERN) is that you smash two high-energetic particles together in order to convert that energy into new particles."

Which is it? Is matter made of energy?

My suggestion is to read the following:

https://profmattstrassler.com/artic...tter-etc/matter-and-energy-a-false-dichotomy/

And, at an appropriate point decide that the question really isn't worth worrying about. Leave your hair alone and move on.
 
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Apparently the thing i was thinking of is fields, were not made of energy. Were made by the energy rippling through fields. is that correct?
 
jubalsquirrelly said:
Apparently the thing i was thinking of is fields, were not made of energy. Were made by the energy rippling through fields. is that correct?

Sorry, when you say "were not made of energy", did you mean we're (we are), or were you referring to something else? I'm not trying to nitpick your grammar here, I'm honestly not sure what you mean.
 
Sorry, I can't spell to save my life.

We are not made of energy is the diea

"Apparently the thing i was thinking of is fields, we are not made of energy. We are made by the energy rippling through fields. is that correct?
 
jubalsquirrelly said:
Sorry, I can't spell to save my life.

We are not made of energy is the diea

"Apparently the thing i was thinking of is fields, we are not made of energy. We are made by the energy rippling through fields. is that correct?

I'd say we are made up of excitations of fields. These excitations have energy, but they are not energy themselves. Saying that energy is "rippling through fields" is a bit problematic, as the wave itself has energy but isn't energy itself. For example, a radio wave is an electromagnetic wave. This wave consists of an oscillating change in the electromagnetic field that propagates outwards from the source. This wave can affect charged particles, causing them to move and transferring energy to them. So energy is being transferred by this wave, but the wave itself isn't energy. It just has energy.
 

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