Quantization of EM in UV & vacuum

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the quantization of electromagnetic (EM) fields and its implications for the UV catastrophe and vacuum energy density. It establishes that the UV catastrophe did not occur due to the quantization of EM modes, which prevents higher frequency contributions from affecting observations. The conversation highlights that the computed contribution of EM modes in a vacuum is 120 magnitudes greater than what is observed, raising questions about the cancellation of this excess energy. Furthermore, it emphasizes that without quantization, the theoretical framework of quantum field theory and its relation to general relativity remains unresolved.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of quantum field theory
  • Familiarity with electromagnetic theory
  • Knowledge of the UV catastrophe concept
  • Basic principles of general relativity
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the implications of quantization in electromagnetic theory
  • Research the UV catastrophe and its historical context in physics
  • Investigate vacuum energy density calculations in quantum field theory
  • Study the unification of general relativity and quantum mechanics
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, researchers in quantum mechanics, and anyone interested in the foundational concepts of electromagnetic theory and its implications for modern physics.

Edward Wij
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UV catastrophe didn't occur because em are quantized.. so the higher frequency modes were not there. In vacuum.. if you compute the contribution of the em modes, it is 120 magnitude greater than observed.. the mystery is why it is not and they theorize it is just canceled out. But why didn't they just propose the em is quantized and so the contribution of the em modes didn't occur in the vacuum just like in the UV catastrophe?
 
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Edward Wij said:
if you compute the contribution of the em modes, it is 120 magnitude greater than observed.
It is not.
Based on quantum field theory, there is a possible way to assign something like an energy density to the vacuum in a way that leads to a huge value. There is no special reason to assume that value has any relevance for our world, however. The only way it could influence our world (if at all) is via general relativity, and the unification of this with quantum field theory is an open problem on its own.
All this does not happen at all without quantization, so asking why it is not quantized does not make sense.
 

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