Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the implications of Newton's third law and the conservation of momentum in the context of high-energy photon interactions and quantum electrodynamics (QED). Participants explore the validity of these principles when considering the creation and annihilation of particle pairs, specifically electron-positron pairs, from photons.
Discussion Character
- Debate/contested
- Technical explanation
- Conceptual clarification
Main Points Raised
- One participant describes a scenario where three high-energy photons convert into electron-positron pairs, suggesting that one electron exerts a force on another without a reciprocal force due to the timing of electric field interactions.
- Another participant argues that Newton's third law does not hold in classical electrodynamics and suggests that momentum conservation should be maintained while discarding the third law.
- A different participant challenges the initial analysis, stating that electric fields in QED are not described as direct interactions but rather through field theory and perturbation methods.
- Another participant points out that the proposed Feynman diagram and thought experiment are not physically possible, emphasizing that such processes cannot conserve 4-momentum and require at least two photons to create a free electron-positron pair.
- There is a reiteration of the impossibility of a single photon annihilating into an electron-positron pair, noting the necessity of a virtual electron to mediate interactions.
- One participant acknowledges the feedback received regarding the correctness of the Feynman diagram arrows.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express disagreement regarding the application of Newton's third law and the conservation of momentum in the described scenarios. Multiple competing views remain on the validity of the initial thought experiment and the interpretation of interactions in QED.
Contextual Notes
Participants highlight limitations in the initial thought experiment, particularly regarding the conservation of 4-momentum and the requirements for photon interactions. There are unresolved aspects related to the correct representation of Feynman diagrams.