- #1
alivedude
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I'm not sure if I posted this in the right category, it's something that came up just after the quantum mechanics section so I just chose this one.
I've come across something that I simply can not find an answer for on my own. I'm taking Modern Physics course and the last chapter is some introductory to Quantum field theory and they explain how you can treat forces as exchange of particles. From the energy-time uncertainty principle they go on and explain that if the mediating particle has mass, the range of the force is limited. This suits well if I think about electromagnetic forces. Since photons are massless the force should reach infinitely far, and indeed that is the case.
But what about gravity? Shouldn't there be some massless mediating particle in this case as well since gravitational force also reaches infinitely far or is it something that I misunderstood? I can't find anything about it in my very limited book. I'm only a second year undergrad so don't the stuff I read isn't that advanced.
Thanks
I've come across something that I simply can not find an answer for on my own. I'm taking Modern Physics course and the last chapter is some introductory to Quantum field theory and they explain how you can treat forces as exchange of particles. From the energy-time uncertainty principle they go on and explain that if the mediating particle has mass, the range of the force is limited. This suits well if I think about electromagnetic forces. Since photons are massless the force should reach infinitely far, and indeed that is the case.
But what about gravity? Shouldn't there be some massless mediating particle in this case as well since gravitational force also reaches infinitely far or is it something that I misunderstood? I can't find anything about it in my very limited book. I'm only a second year undergrad so don't the stuff I read isn't that advanced.
Thanks
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