Why must light move?

Kind of a simple question for my own benefit, rather than an attempt to ramp up a big discussion.

So, following current science, and appreciating the need to generate photons, tune them and produced entangled pairs, I don't understand how photons are contained in a position, or even superposition....within the apparatus?

That specific lack of conceptual understanding begs the question, why is the "normal" state of light in motion...literally?

I know there are specific experiments that slow laser light down to walking pace, which is pretty cool. In fact, it is supercool, as I know the effect it's a property of Boze-Einstein condensate.

That's it, a question about light. The nature of which seems to be part of deep physics. The interconnection of light and time is particularly interesting.

How are photons contained and how is it the nature of light to always (apparently) move?

a reply to: FlyingFox

Well there you go! S&F for a great question.

I don't know the answer although I could take a stab at it but I will wait and see if anyone has a really good one.

One thing to note when considering answers ... you need to separate the 'Theories' from 'Proven Facts'.

There is so much very basic physics that we cannot unravel at this time in our quest for knowledge.

Time, light and gravity are the harder ones.

P

In a sense, the energy contained in light forces it to move. However, all of the different energy levels of ELM move at the same speed (afaik).

originally posted by: FlyingFox
In a sense, the energy contained in light forces it to move. However, all of the different energy levels of ELM move at the same speed (afaik).

And without mass to slow it down (as a resistance) energy must "move".

a reply to: pheonix358

One thing to note when considering answers ... you need to separate the 'Theories' from 'Proven Facts'.

The problem here is that in science there is no such thing as proven facts. Theories are all that you have to work with. Some theories are the accepted ones within the current paradigm, but paradigms shift.

a reply to: FlyingFox
It doesn't have to

Solid light

a reply to: FlyingFox

I don't understand how photons are contained in a position, or even superposition....within the apparatus?

They aren’t. Their behaviour, movement, entanglement, etc., is reconstructed from the traces they leave behind as they move through the apparatus.

a reply to: FlyingFox
Without movement there is no illumination, so to speak - and it couldn't exist as light. I'm guessing.

a reply to: FlyingFox

Maybe light is still and everything else is moving really fast.

a reply to: ZeussusZ

Really fast, in every direction at the same time?
Because, no matter which direction light is coming from, it does so "really fast."

a reply to: FlyingFox

Lots of things always move. Like the mouth of my wife. It, like light, has no rest mass and because of that has to move at maximum speed.

originally posted by: JDeLattre89
a reply to: pheonix358

One thing to note when considering answers ... you need to separate the 'Theories' from 'Proven Facts'.

The problem here is that in science there is no such thing as proven facts. Theories are all that you have to work with. Some theories are the accepted ones within the current paradigm, but paradigms shift.

The accepted theories are the ones that repeatable experiments / the data justify. So it isn't just willy-nilly.

Perhaps electromagnetic waves ripple through the aether (string theory brane or whatever) like a stone dropped in water.

a reply to: FlyingFox

What about super massive black holes, does it not affect the properties of light?

a reply to: glend

thats exactly what they do every single particle has a vibrational rate or harmonic resonance that either binds or shakes them apart on the atomic scale these forces attact or repulse causing a fluid like sea of particles right in front of your face at all times the density is the only real difference in everything around and pervading the entire universe

a reply to: BigBrotherDarkness

Thank you for the heads up. Guessing you are into quantum mechanics.

originally posted by: FlyingFox

How are photons contained and how is it the nature of light to always (apparently) move?

You can't really contain them. You can arrange for the speed of light in the local area to be quite slow. But they will always move at the speed of light in the local medium.

The nature of it is that they are a time varying magnetic field producing a time varying electric field producing a time varying magnetic field etc in a loop. And that will propagate through space at a rate set by the permittivity and permeability of the local medium.

originally posted by: BigBrotherDarkness
a reply to: glend

thats exactly what they do every single particle has a vibrational rate or harmonic resonance...

There is no such a thing as a harmonic resonance.

Particles, if you're talking about molecules, do vibrate at a rate set by their mass and bond angles. But that rate isn't subject to change by happy thoughts or whatever.

originally posted by: glend
Perhaps electromagnetic waves ripple through the aether (string theory brane or whatever) like a stone dropped in water.

No. There is no luminiferous aether. It's strictly magnetic and electric fields. You not only don't need an aether, you can easily prove there isn't one by the fact that your LCD display works.

a reply to: glend

all of it... I am an information sponge spend most days squeezing it out though, more has to fit in there somehow