Quantum mechanics and general relativity: an idea I had

  • 1 Replies
  • 1341 Views
*

Parsifal

  • Official Member
  • 36118
  • Bendy Light specialist
Quantum mechanics and general relativity: an idea I had
« on: July 18, 2009, 07:07:44 AM »
General relativity, of course, suggests that every point mass is at the centre of a gravitational potential well - this is what causes the effect known as gravitation. What it doesn't tell us is why this potential well exists. Quantum mechanics tells us that each particle is actually a wave function, and rather than being in a singular location, it is spread across a range of locations, with various probabilities of being found at each point. Now, what if the potential well hypothesised by general relativity is simply required by quantum mechanics in order to stop particles existing all over the Universe at once? That is to say, a particle is fundamentally required to be at the centre of its own potential well, so that its wave function may be confined to a very limited range. Could this not provide justification for gravitation in quantum theory?

I'm not particularly well educated in either field, so I'd appreciate any comments on this by those who are.
I'm going to side with the white supremacists.

Re: Quantum mechanics and general relativity: an idea I had
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2009, 08:37:39 AM »
if i understand correctly that would mean that a particle is trapped in its own potential. as the potential is linked to the particles position, not the other way round and thus it can't influence the particles movement. aditionally pure sinus wavefunctions are not allowed for a free particle (although they are eigenfunctions of the momentum operator afaik) because they can't be normalized. the correct solution is a wave packet so you won't have particles that are spread out all over the univers either.