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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Is the photon model of electromagnetic wave an oversimplification?
« on: 10/08/2021 09:49:50 »
If a model works, it is by definition accurate to the extent that it predicts what actually happens.
The problem with 0/0 is that the answer depends on the initial condition of an implicit function. You can't guess the initial condition from the endpoint.
You don't need a model to use a product. We have all sorts of useful devices whose physics is not fully understood - cross-country skis are a particularly good example of a clever piece of engineering that is between 2000 and 10000 years old but still not well modelled!
I don't think we have any illusions about the actual behavior of electromagnetic radiation, and most of us are humble enough to recognise that there isn't a useful single model that predicts everything. But we do have two models that work extremely well.
Returning to 0/0, you can see the problem with the downwind Blackbird car. The motive power comes from the difference between wind speed and ground speed, so once the car is moving, you should be able to reduce the wind speed to zero and the car will keep going.....a perpetual motion machine.....Wrong initial condition, wrong model!
The problem with 0/0 is that the answer depends on the initial condition of an implicit function. You can't guess the initial condition from the endpoint.
You don't need a model to use a product. We have all sorts of useful devices whose physics is not fully understood - cross-country skis are a particularly good example of a clever piece of engineering that is between 2000 and 10000 years old but still not well modelled!
I don't think we have any illusions about the actual behavior of electromagnetic radiation, and most of us are humble enough to recognise that there isn't a useful single model that predicts everything. But we do have two models that work extremely well.
Returning to 0/0, you can see the problem with the downwind Blackbird car. The motive power comes from the difference between wind speed and ground speed, so once the car is moving, you should be able to reduce the wind speed to zero and the car will keep going.....a perpetual motion machine.....Wrong initial condition, wrong model!
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