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Vac fluct e+/e- field correlated because charge conservation

  1. Jan 30, 2015 #1

    Spinnor

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    Are fluctuations of the electron/positron field correlated in space and time because of charge conservation? We can't just have some positive charge just pop into existence, even if only for a moment?

    Thanks for any help!
     
    Spinnor, Jan 30, 2015
  2. jcsd
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  3. Jan 30, 2015 #2

    strangerep

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    You might need to give a bit more background to your question. I'm not sure if you're asking a very advanced question related to the Reeh--Schlieder theorem, or a very basic question that could be answered by saying: "no, QFT respects special relativity and associated conservation laws".
     
    strangerep, Jan 30, 2015
  4. Jan 30, 2015 #3

    Spinnor

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    Probably not the advanced question! If the electron/positron field can fluctuate, then charge is created, and it must be created in equal and opposite amounts?
     
    Spinnor, Jan 30, 2015
  5. Jan 30, 2015 #4

    strangerep

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    Those "vacuum fluctuations", "virtual particles", etc, etc, that you've probably been reading about are merely unphysical artifacts that arise in intermediate stages of archane mathematical calculations in QFT. It's a mistake to attribute physical reality to them.
     
    strangerep, Jan 30, 2015
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