Abstract Hilbert space may be regarded as a convenient standard approximation by interpolation and extrapolation to a unitary space, in general decomposable into a sum of semisimple spaces. In the limit we expect a particle theory expanded in powers of h according to the number of interacting particles. In the classical limit h tending to zero, phase space, with equations of motion reducible to Hamiltonian form, replaces Hilbert space. The modification of states by observing them is taken care of by considering probability distributions of petty ensembles. If the equations for any single observer can be made autonomous by replacing empirical time by universal time with an arrow we have a causal system. We then obtain the relation between probability and negentropy required for the second law of thermodynamics. An approximate Newtonian theory provides proximate particles with internal and external variables and admits the Poincaré group. For the internal variables we have approximately the Breit interaction. For the external variables we have equivalence for observers of the homogeneous Lorentz group of relativity. We introduce grand ensembles of ultimate particles, and nebulae as proximate particles in the large. We assume the Einstein principle of equivalence for the ten parameter set of observers suggested by relativity and suppose the second law of thermodynamics holds for each observer. The Einstein law of gravitation follows in classical theory to the order of the reciprocal of the large constant, in general with positive natural curvature as well as that corresponding to mass. Replacing particle interactions by fields we include them in classical theory.
Abstract Hilbert space may be regarded as a convenient standard approximation by interpolation and extrapolation to a unitary space, in general decomposable into a sum of semisimple spaces. In the limit we expect a particle theory expanded in powers of h according to the number of interacting particles. In the classical limit h tending to zero, phase space, with equations of motion reducible to Hamiltonian form, replaces Hilbert space. The modification of states by observing them is taken care of by considering probability distributions of petty ensembles. If the equations for any single observer can be made autonomous by replacing empirical time by universal time with an arrow we have a causal system. We then obtain the relation between probability and negentropy required for the second law of thermodynamics. An approximate Newtonian theory provides proximate particles with internal and external variables and admits the Poincaré group. For the internal variables we have approximately the Breit interaction. For the external variables we have equivalence for observers of the homogeneous Lorentz group of relativity. We introduce grand ensembles of ultimate particles, and nebulae as proximate particles in the large. We assume the Einstein principle of equivalence for the ten parameter set of observers suggested by relativity and suppose the second law of thermodynamics holds for each observer. The Einstein law of gravitation follows in classical theory to the order of the reciprocal of the large constant, in general with positive natural curvature as well as that corresponding to mass. Replacing particle interactions by fields we include them in classical theory.
Following previous works by E. Prugovečki [Physica A 91A, 202 (1978) and Stochastic Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Space–time (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1986)] on common features of classical and quantum mechanics, we develop a unified mathematical framework for classical and quantum mechanics (based on L2-spaces over classical phase space), in order to investigate to what extent quantum mechanics can be obtained as a simple modification of classical mechanics (on both logical and analytical levels). To obtain this unified framework, we split quantum theory in two parts: (i) general quantum axiomatics (a system is described by a state in a Hilbert space, observables are self-adjoints operators, and so on) and (ii) quantum mechanics proper that specifies the Hilbert space as L2(Rn); the Heisenberg rule [pi,qj]=−iℏδij with p=−iℏ∇, the free Hamiltonian H=−ℏ2Δ/2m and so on. We show that general quantum axiomatics (up to a supplementary “axiom of classicity”) can be used as a nonstandard mathematical ground to formulate physical ideas and equations of ordinary classical statistical mechanics. So, the question of a “true quantization” with “ℏ” must be seen as an independent physical problem not directly related with quantum formalism. At this stage, we show that this nonstandard formulation of classical mechanics exhibits a new kind of operation that has no classical counterpart: this operation is related to the “quantization process,” and we show why quantization physically depends on group theory (the Galilei group). This analytical procedure of quantization replaces the “correspondence principle” (or canonical quantization) and allows us to map classical mechanics into quantum mechanics, giving all operators of quantum dynamics and the Schrödinger equation. The great advantage of this point of view is that quantization is based on concrete physical arguments and not derived from some “pure algebraic rule” (we exhibit also some limit of the correspondence principle). Moreover spins for particles are naturally generated, including an approximation of their interaction with magnetic fields. We also recover by this approach the semi-classical formalism developed by E. Prugovečki [Stochastic Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Space–time (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1986)].
Every vertex of the magic cube of physics discussed so far introduced a major element in the development of physics and the whole of science. Mechanics introduced the basic concept of equations of motion, or time-evolution of a physical system given certain initial condition and the associated idea of determinism, even with its generalization in the form of chaos, the dependence of the outcomes of the temporal evolution on the initial conditions. These concepts taken for many particles, or elements of a physical system, led to the probabilistic description of many particle systems, in the realm of statistical physics and thermodynamics, whereby the averages over time of various observable quantities were related to the ensemble averages, that involve classical, so-called Kolmogorov, probability measures, at least for certain “equilibrium” situations. The second law of thermodynamics introduced the concept of entropy and its probabilistic increase, the first truly emergent, probabilistic law in physics (temperature and pressure, being other emergent quantities, apart from entropy, the measure of disorder of a statistical system). In the context of Newtonian gravity, one gets, at least in retrospect the geometric description of gravity in non-relativistic, Galilean spacetime. Galilean relativity, based on the asymmetric mixing of space and time, with the absolute, universal time, true for all observers, gets generalized in special theory of relativity to observer dependent space and observer dependent time, viewed as “slices” of a new concept of spacetime, with the new concept of causal structure, that distinguish timelike, null and spacelike events. This in turn is made into a full dynamical geometric structure of spacetime with a relativistic description of gravity stemming from curvature of spacetime, and a dynamical causal structure, tied to gravity. In our next story, the story of quantum theory, we will encounter fundamental, intrinsic probabilities, that can interfere, unlike the classical probabilities of statistical thermodynamics, and which are consistent with equations of motion of individual elements, and not, as in statistical thermodynamics, with temporal averages over the time evolution of many elements. This is the big new lesson of quantum theory, that transcends the lessons of classical spacetime physics.
Classical statistical mechanics tries to derive the macroscopic properties of matter starting from the mechanical laws that rule the behaviour of single particles. To describe equilibrium states, only observables accounting for correlations among states are considered, and only systems consisting of a large number of particles are taken into account. The observables are described by continuous functions on phase space, and the states are represented by linear assignments of a number to each observable. Within the framework of the canonical ensemble, one deals with mechanical systems in thermal equilibrium with a thermal reservoir, and the equilibrium state is reached as a result of the interaction with the external world. The external world may be really external, or equally well, the unrecognized internal degrees of freedom, like in the calculation of viscosity or thermal conductivity. If really only the external world is the cause we may expect some surface dependence while an internal unrecognized degree of freedom would have a volume effect, unless the interactions are long range. The microcanonical ensemble is instead introduced to study isolated mechanical systems, and the equilibrium is viewed as a temporal average, rather than as a limit. Attention is then focused on partition functions, the theorem of equipartition of energy and an elementary theory of specific heats. In the second part, the Planck derivation of the law of black-body radiation is analysed, presenting in chronological order the Kirchhoff theorem, the Stefan law, the Wien displacement law, the Rayleigh–Jeans formula and the Planck hypothesis. Further topics discussed are the Einstein and Debye quantum models for specific heats of solids. These topics prepare the ground for the introduction of quantum statistical mechanics. The third part is, in fact, devoted to the analysis of identical particles in quantum mechanics.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR Although the classical theory developed in Chapter 2 can be used to describe a great many phenomena in the real world, there is little doubt that the proper description of the world is quantum. To a large measure we perceive the world classically and we must find ways to uncover the underlying quantum theory. The process of “quantization” normally consists of turning a classical theory into a corresponding quantum theory. In turn, the “classical limit” is the process by which a quantum theory is brought to its associated classical theory. The parameter ħ = 1.0545 × 10 −27 (≃ 10 −27 ) erg-seconds (cgs units), referred to as Planck's constant, sets the scale of quantum phenomena. In many applications it will prove useful to use “natural” units in which ħ = 1 just so that formulas are less cumbersome. For most typical formulations of quantum mechanics the classical limit means the limit that ħ → 0, and in this text we shall have many occasions to use this definition as well. In addition, we shall also learn to speak about the classical and quantum theories simultaneously coexisting – as they do in the real world – without the need to take the limit ħ → 0. There are three generally accepted “royal” routes to quantization, due principally to Heisenberg, Schrödinger, and Feynman, respectively, and we shall exploit them all. In each case we begin with a single degree of freedom ( N = 1).
We propose a new quantum approach for describing a system of n interacting particles with variable mass connected by an unknown field with variable form (n-VMVF systems). Instead of assuming any particular nature for variation of the masses and field, we propose to find them from the laws that rule the dynamic of the systems. In this context, we consider masses and field are functions depending only on the particle positions and velocities, excluding the presence of hidden variables. The quantum approach follows the modern method for constructing the quantum theory where quantum states are defined over a Hilbert space, and the operators are obtained from the canonical transformations of the corresponding classical theory. The classical theory results on two sets of second-order Hamilton constrained equations, while the Hilbert space is defined over the extension of the complex number, which is done from an unsolvable equation on the complex domain. This new approach does not contradict the existing theoretical theories in Particle Physics.
One of the main unsolved question in Quantum Mechanics (QM) is its compatibility with classical mechanics. The laws of QM, which describe the microscopic world, must merge into the classical ones for large enough physical systems, but it is still unknown at which point, if any, the transition occurs and if the transition is smooth or sudden as the size increases. Furthermore, a strict extension of QM to the macroscopic world leads to well known 'paradoxes', which is not straightforward to solve. This question is tightly connected with the measurement problem, since any measurement apparatus must give a response which can be described at classical level. Many experiments have been performed to answer to this question. They mainly try to find to which extent the number of particles can be increased in order to observe clear evidence of violation of standard QM. In this paper we argue that the macroscopicity parameter is not the number of particles but the number of independent degrees of freedom, as proposed in a recent model for the completion of QM. This introduces a sort of change of paradigm. To support this claim a representative set of well known experiments are analyzed from this point of view. This brings to a new interpretation of the experiments. A general scheme for the quantum-classical transition is discussed in some details.