What does the Uncertainty Principle say about the location of photons?

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The discussion centers on the implications of the Uncertainty Principle regarding the location of photons, emphasizing that while the speed of photons in a vacuum is known, their exact position cannot be determined. The principle highlights that knowing a photon's momentum leads to an undefined position, complicating the understanding of photons' behavior in different media. Participants debate whether photons exist in a specific location before detection, with some arguing that their position is inherently uncertain until absorption occurs. The conversation also touches on the nature of light's speed in various materials, clarifying that the interaction with atomic structures affects light's propagation without implying absorption and re-emission in the classical sense. Ultimately, the discussion illustrates the complexity of defining photon behavior within quantum mechanics.
  • #31
zonde said:
Explanations like that are only speculations.

So I can propose different speculation.
When you go down to length scales of photon wavelength photon is traveling as a wave i.e. it travels many available paths. In material these paths are not straight and when you average over all the paths the photon travels within one wavelength it is shorter then straight path would be. So while you can still say that it travels at c average speed will be less than c.

We know that gravity changes the space making it curved. The same is valid for charged particles in EM field. Unlike gravity where only "pits" are possible, in EM field we will have "pits" and "hills". Also these "pits" and "hills" can be packed very tight depending on material density. More dense material means more pits and hills. So photon traveling through this EM field curved space will need more time to cross it compared to the straight line defined by the local gravity field.

That is my speculation. :devil:
 

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