B So Quantum Fluctuations don't exist?

[bhobba]

He's asserting that you can't get to absolute zero because you'd know the position and momenta of the particles to infinite precision, which is disallowed by the uncertainty principle. This is not correct in any context.

It comes from a misunderstanding of the uncertainty principle that has been discussed here many times.

Ballentine gets it right in his textbook - page 223 - but many don't. It was one of those things I had to unlearn.

Thanks
Bill

 

[PhysicsExplorer]

But as for why I believe in them, I have already explained, that zero point fields understand fluctuations as a ground state of the field. The earliest theories, considered these fluctuations - in fact, so did cosmology, they renamed the primordial fluctuations as the cosmic seeds, something I have investigated as well.

Lots of physics, just simply doesn't make sense without them, such as the virtual particle shielding of electrons. Or that physical effect of virtual particles we can measure which I cannot remember any link to. Just everything, every part of my understanding of field theory, is based on the existence of these particles.

 

[PhysicsExplorer]

Perhaps you can, but so far you have suggested only two references:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_foam
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-virtual-particles-rea/
Neither is a serious peer-reviewed paper, neither is an acceptable source under the Physics Forums rules, and both are deliberately oversimplified to cater to people who lack the inclination or mathematical background to learn the real thing.

Well I will if you want when I have time... but since fluctuations have been written on since 1955, I can honestly admit finding them is a no-brainer.

 

[PhysicsExplorer]

It comes from a misunderstanding of the uncertainty principle that has been discussed here many times.

Thanks
Bill

If by uncertainty principle, you mean its application to the metric which would give rise to fluctuations, then no, its not a misunderstanding as such. We add such fluctuations to the metric in general relativity like

g = g + h

Lawrence Crowell has written a lot on fluctuations, you might want to read about his investigations.

 

[Nugatory]

This thread has reached the limits of useful discourse and has been closed.