- #1
nhmllr
- 185
- 1
Admittedly, I know nothing about the math in quantum physics
But there's something bothering me- what IS oscillating in the photon? Nobody makes it clear. Is it the energy of the photon? But that would mean that the photon has less energy when the wave is at the middle, and more energy when the wave is at the peak, and doesn't that disobey the law of conservation of energy? Also, what is making whatever is oscillating in a photon go up and down? In water waves, gravity pulls the waves downwards, but what pulls whatever is a photon "down"
I'm sorry if my analogies aren't applicable here, but I've never really been taught this, aside from glancing mentions in class. I also don't mind if I need to learn new math to understand this, if anyone could point me in a direction, that would be great.
But there's something bothering me- what IS oscillating in the photon? Nobody makes it clear. Is it the energy of the photon? But that would mean that the photon has less energy when the wave is at the middle, and more energy when the wave is at the peak, and doesn't that disobey the law of conservation of energy? Also, what is making whatever is oscillating in a photon go up and down? In water waves, gravity pulls the waves downwards, but what pulls whatever is a photon "down"
I'm sorry if my analogies aren't applicable here, but I've never really been taught this, aside from glancing mentions in class. I also don't mind if I need to learn new math to understand this, if anyone could point me in a direction, that would be great.