The discussion centers on the nature of photons, specifically addressing why they have no rest mass and cannot possess electric charge. Participants explore theoretical implications, properties of photons, and comparisons with other particles, including the W bosons and quarks. The conversation includes both conceptual and technical elements.
Participants express a range of views regarding the properties of photons, with no consensus on several points, including the implications of mass and charge, and the definitions of particles. The discussion remains unresolved on many aspects.
Some statements rely on specific definitions and assumptions that may not be universally accepted, such as the interpretation of "pure energy" and the implications of gauge symmetry. The discussion includes speculative ideas about the nature of mass and charge in relation to photons.
Readers interested in particle physics, the properties of light, and the theoretical frameworks surrounding mass and charge in quantum mechanics may find this discussion relevant.
gonegahgah said:My understanding was that - light traveling @ <c through materials due to photon absorption/re-emission - was not the accepted explanation.
I saw someone say this same explanation without comment another time so I'm starting to wonder if I got that wrong too?
I thought it was due to other factors? Was it something to do with space-time or was it magnetic interaction? I can't remember? Or is absorption/re-emission it?