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Morgan & Claypool Publishers eBooks

Relativity, Symmetry and the Structure of Quantum Theory, Volume 1

W. H. Klink, S. Wickramasekara

Published Mar 1, 2015• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

The history of how quantum mechanics was developed is a fascinating one and underlies the focus of this book; namely, given the rules that the founders of quantum mechanics developed, is it possible to find principles that lead to the structure of quantum mechanics as it was historically formulated? This is the first book in a series of works considering what particular relativity is applicable to a given dynamical theory. The series considers Newton, Einstein, and de Sitter relativities, while this book examines the unitary irreducible representations of the Galilei group and see how they provide the framework for Galilean quantum theory.

DOI
10.1088/978-1-6270-5624-3

Related papers

Relativity, Symmetry and the Structure of the Quantum Theory

W. H. Klink

Quantum theory is one of the most successful of all physical theories. Our everyday world is dominated by devices that function because of knowledge of the quantum world. Yet many, physicists and non-physicists alike, find the theory which explains the behavior of the quantum world baffling and strange. This book is the first in a series of three that argues that relativity and symmetry determine the structure of quantum theory. That is to say, the structure of quantum theory is what it is because of relativity and symmetry. There are different types of relativity, each leading to a particular type of quantum theory. This book deals specifically with what we call Newton relativity, the form of relativity built into Newtonian mechanics, and the quantum theory to which it gives rise, which we call Galilean (often misleadingly called non-relativistic) quantum theory. Key Features: • Meaning and significance of the term of relativity; discussion of the principle of relativity. • Relation of symmetry to relativity. Significance of the notion of representations of symmetry transformations in formulating a quantum theory. • Representations of Galilean symmetry and how they lead to the most common form of quantum theory. • Extension of Newtonian relativity to accelerating quantum systems and broadened quantum theory.

•Apr 1, 2014•3 citations

Galilean quantum theory

W. H. Klink, S. Wickramasekara

Quantum theory is one of the most successful of all physical theories. Our everyday world is dominated by devices that function because of knowledge of the quantum world. Yet many, physicists and non-physicists alike, find the theory which explains the behavior of the quantum world baffling and strange. This book is the first in a series of three that argues that relativity and symmetry determine the structure of quantum theory. That is to say, the structure of quantum theory is what it is because of relativity and symmetry. There are different types of relativity, each leading to a particular type of quantum theory. This book deals specifically with what we call Newton relativity, the form of relativity built into Newtonian mechanics, and the quantum theory to which it gives rise, which we call Galilean (often misleadingly called non-relativistic) quantum theory. Key Features:* Meaning and significance of the term of relativity; discussion of the principle of relativity.* Relation of symmetry to relativity. Significance of the notion of representations of symmetry transformations in formulating a quantum theory.* Representations of Galilean symmetry and how they lead to the most common form of quantum theory.* Extension of Newtonian relativity to accelerating quantum systems and broadened quantum theory.

•Jan 1, 2015•0 citations

Newton relativity and one-particle Galilean quantum theory

W. H. Klink, S. Wickramasekara

Mathjax On | Off Abstract As stated in the introduction, the principle of relativity does not determine what particular relativity is applicable to a given dynamical theory. Of the three possibilities we consider in this series of works, namely Newton, Einstein, and de Sitter relativities, Newton relativity is the simplest and was the first to be formulated. Perhaps for that reason, it is also the most intuitive.

Morgan & Claypool Publishers eBooks•Mar 1, 2015•0 citations

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Quantum mechanics is one of the great success stories of modern physics, making sense of the very small just as Einstein's theory of relativity made sense of the very large. But, for most students, the ideas that make quantum mechanics powerful can be confusing and counterintuitive. This volume in the Greenwood Guides to Great Ideas in Science series provides a history of quantum mechanics from the early breakthroughs of Planck and Einstein, at the beginning of the 20th century, to the present frontiers of quantum computing and quantum gravity. The approach is entirely non-technical, and is aimed at the general reader who may not have much mathematical background but who has a strong curiosity about some of the most important developments in modern science. Quantum Mechanics: A Historical Perspectivetraces the history of this powerful theory, including: ; The early discoveries by Max Planck and Albert Einstein regarding the quantization of radiation ; The early quantum theory, including Neils Bohr's theory of the atom ; The birth of modern quantum mechanics through the work of Heisenberg, Schrodinger, Born, Dirac and others ; Applications of quantum mechanics in chemistry, nuclear physics, electronics, and many other areas ; Recent work in quantum computation and quantum information theory The book emphasizes the fact that despite the great success of quantum mechanics, many exciting intellectual frontiers remain open for further researchers to explore. It includes a glossary, a timeline, and a bibliography of accessible resources for further research.

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On the Origin of Quantum Mechanics: A Representation Theory of Symmetry Groups

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We present a group-theoretic reconstruction of quantum mechanics in which the standard formalism emerges from the representation theory of symmetry groups rather than being introduced axiomatically. Starting from physically motivated symmetry principles, we show how the conventional postulates of quantum mechanics including the Hilbert space structure of states, observables as generators of symmetry transformations, the Born probability rule, unitary time evolution, the composition of multipartite systems, and the measurement framework can be recovered within a unified representation-theoretic framework. We then examine the measurement problem by interpreting wave-function collapse as the scattering of quantum states, thereby providing an account of the apparent loss of information. Finally, we investigate the origin of Planck's constant, proposing that it arises as the conserved charge of the Lorentz symmetry group. In this formulation, $\hbar$ is an invariant that relates Lie algebra generators to observable quantities and fixes the scale of quantum action. This framework offers a conceptually unified perspective on the foundations of quantum mechanics, connecting its postulates, measurement theory, and the emergence of the quantum of action to a common symmetry-based origin while identifying conditions under which the conventional quantum formalism is recovered.

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Waves and Particles

David K. Ferry

Science has developed through a variety of investigations more or less over the time scale of human existence. On this scale, quantum mechanics is an extremely young field, existing essentially for only just over a century. Even our understanding of classical mechanics has existed for a comparatively long period—roughly having been formalized with Newton's equations published in his Principia Mathematica , in April 1686 (1687). Up until the very end of the nineteenth century, mechanics in the form of Newton's laws were comfortable, being understood and accepted by all who dealt with the motion of reasonable bodies. With the turn of the new century, however, mechanics would be shaken to its roots. The change began already on December 14, 1900, when Planck (1900) presented his new theory of black-body radiation to the German Physical Society, and this change would affect mechanics in physically small structures (and lead to quantum mechanics). Mechanics of large bodies would similarly be changed in 1905 with the arrival of Albert Einstein's (1905a) relativity theory. In this book, we will deal with only the first of these two great breakthroughs.

CRC Press eBooks•Nov 6, 2020•0 citations
The history of how quantum mechanics was developed is a fascinating one and underlies the focus of this book; namely, given the rules that the founders of quantum mechanics developed, is it possible to find principles that lead to the structure of quantum mechanics as it was historically formulated? This is the first book in a series of works considering what particular relativity is applicable to a given dynamical theory. The series considers Newton, Einstein, and de Sitter relativities, while this book examines the unitary irreducible representations of the Galilei group and see how they provide the framework for Galilean quantum theory.
Quantum theory is one of the most successful of all physical theories. Our everyday world is dominated by devices that function because of knowledge of the quantum world. Yet many, physicists and non-physicists alike, find the theory which explains the behavior of the quantum world baffling and strange. This book is the first in a series of three that argues that relativity and symmetry determine the structure of quantum theory. That is to say, the structure of quantum theory is what it is because of relativity and symmetry. There are different types of relativity, each leading to a particular type of quantum theory. This book deals specifically with what we call Newton relativity, the form of relativity built into Newtonian mechanics, and the quantum theory to which it gives rise, which we call Galilean (often misleadingly called non-relativistic) quantum theory. Key Features: • Meaning and significance of the term of relativity; discussion of the principle of relativity. • Relation of symmetry to relativity. Significance of the notion of representations of symmetry transformations in formulating a quantum theory. • Representations of Galilean symmetry and how they lead to the most common form of quantum theory. • Extension of Newtonian relativity to accelerating quantum systems and broadened quantum theory.
Quantum theory is one of the most successful of all physical theories. Our everyday world is dominated by devices that function because of knowledge of the quantum world. Yet many, physicists and non-physicists alike, find the theory which explains the behavior of the quantum world baffling and strange. This book is the first in a series of three that argues that relativity and symmetry determine the structure of quantum theory. That is to say, the structure of quantum theory is what it is because of relativity and symmetry. There are different types of relativity, each leading to a particular type of quantum theory. This book deals specifically with what we call Newton relativity, the form of relativity built into Newtonian mechanics, and the quantum theory to which it gives rise, which we call Galilean (often misleadingly called non-relativistic) quantum theory. Key Features:* Meaning and significance of the term of relativity; discussion of the principle of relativity.* Relation of symmetry to relativity. Significance of the notion of representations of symmetry transformations in formulating a quantum theory.* Representations of Galilean symmetry and how they lead to the most common form of quantum theory.* Extension of Newtonian relativity to accelerating quantum systems and broadened quantum theory.
Quantum mechanics is one of the great success stories of modern physics, making sense of the very small just as Einstein's theory of relativity made sense of the very large. But, for most students, the ideas that make quantum mechanics powerful can be confusing and counterintuitive. This volume in the Greenwood Guides to Great Ideas in Science series provides a history of quantum mechanics from the early breakthroughs of Planck and Einstein, at the beginning of the 20th century, to the present frontiers of quantum computing and quantum gravity. The approach is entirely non-technical, and is aimed at the general reader who may not have much mathematical background but who has a strong curiosity about some of the most important developments in modern science. Quantum Mechanics: A Historical Perspectivetraces the history of this powerful theory, including: ; The early discoveries by Max Planck and Albert Einstein regarding the quantization of radiation ; The early quantum theory, including Neils Bohr's theory of the atom ; The birth of modern quantum mechanics through the work of Heisenberg, Schrodinger, Born, Dirac and others ; Applications of quantum mechanics in chemistry, nuclear physics, electronics, and many other areas ; Recent work in quantum computation and quantum information theory The book emphasizes the fact that despite the great success of quantum mechanics, many exciting intellectual frontiers remain open for further researchers to explore. It includes a glossary, a timeline, and a bibliography of accessible resources for further research.
We present a group-theoretic reconstruction of quantum mechanics in which the standard formalism emerges from the representation theory of symmetry groups rather than being introduced axiomatically. Starting from physically motivated symmetry principles, we show how the conventional postulates of quantum mechanics including the Hilbert space structure of states, observables as generators of symmetry transformations, the Born probability rule, unitary time evolution, the composition of multipartite systems, and the measurement framework can be recovered within a unified representation-theoretic framework. We then examine the measurement problem by interpreting wave-function collapse as the scattering of quantum states, thereby providing an account of the apparent loss of information. Finally, we investigate the origin of Planck's constant, proposing that it arises as the conserved charge of the Lorentz symmetry group. In this formulation, ℏ\hbarℏ is an invariant that relates Lie algebra generators to observable quantities and fixes the scale of quantum action. This framework offers a conceptually unified perspective on the foundations of quantum mechanics, connecting its postulates, measurement theory, and the emergence of the quantum of action to a common symmetry-based origin while identifying conditions under which the conventional quantum formalism is recovered.
Science has developed through a variety of investigations more or less over the time scale of human existence. On this scale, quantum mechanics is an extremely young field, existing essentially for only just over a century. Even our understanding of classical mechanics has existed for a comparatively long period—roughly having been formalized with Newton's equations published in his Principia Mathematica , in April 1686 (1687). Up until the very end of the nineteenth century, mechanics in the form of Newton's laws were comfortable, being understood and accepted by all who dealt with the motion of reasonable bodies. With the turn of the new century, however, mechanics would be shaken to its roots. The change began already on December 14, 1900, when Planck (1900) presented his new theory of black-body radiation to the German Physical Society, and this change would affect mechanics in physically small structures (and lead to quantum mechanics). Mechanics of large bodies would similarly be changed in 1905 with the arrival of Albert Einstein's (1905a) relativity theory. In this book, we will deal with only the first of these two great breakthroughs.