+23 votes
in Particle Physics by
edited by

Your answer

Your name to display (optional):
Privacy: Your email address will only be used for sending these notifications.
+13 votes
by (2.3k points)

No, particles cannot have no mass and travel at infinite speed. According to our current understanding of physics, particles can have different masses, and their speeds are always limited by the speed of light in a vacuum, which is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second.

The behavior of particles in the double-slit experiment, such as electrons or photons (particles of light), is explained by the principles of quantum mechanics. In this experiment, particles are directed toward a barrier with two slits, and their behavior when passing through the slits is observed on a screen placed behind the barrier.

In the double-slit experiment, when particles are sent through the slits one by one, they exhibit a wave-like interference pattern on the screen, which is characteristic of waves. This is surprising because particles, such as electrons, are typically thought of as discrete, localized entities.

Quantum mechanics provides an explanation for this phenomenon through the concept of wave-particle duality. According to this principle, particles can exhibit both particle-like and wave-like properties depending on the experimental setup. In the case of the double-slit experiment, particles are described by a wavefunction that evolves over time. The wavefunction represents the probability distribution of finding a particle at a particular location on the screen.

When particles pass through the slits, their wavefunctions interfere with each other, leading to the formation of an interference pattern on the screen. This interference arises from the superposition of different paths that the particles can take, similar to how waves interfere when passing through multiple slits. The interference pattern suggests that particles exhibit wave-like behavior in this experiment.

It's important to note that the behavior of particles in the double-slit experiment does not imply that they have no mass or travel at infinite speeds. The experiment highlights the wave-particle duality of quantum objects, demonstrating that they can exhibit properties of both particles and waves under certain circumstances.

Welcome to Physicsgurus Q&A, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of the community.
...