Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Physicist
Relativity has in no way been discredited by quantum mechanics

OK, superceded, particularly as it applies to Hawking's discussions of black holes. Einsteinian black holes are absolute, singularities. The radiation that "comes out of" black holes via the proposed Hawking radiation requires Quantum effects that are not contemplated in Einstein's theories.

74 posted on 08/03/2004 5:22:43 PM PDT by Phsstpok (often wrong, but never in doubt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies ]


To: Phsstpok
Einsteinian black holes are absolute, singularities.

The singularity is at the center of the black hole. Hawking radiation comes from the event horizon. But in any case, these quantum effects are perfectly compatible with Einstein's field equations, which is to say that Hawking's quantum black hole is an exact solution to that set of equations, just as Schwarzschild's classical black hole was. The equations didn't have to be modified one jot or tittle.

The radiation that "comes out of" black holes via the proposed Hawking radiation requires Quantum effects that are not contemplated in Einstein's theories.

General relativity doesn't contemplate classical electromagnetic fields, either, but they fit right in. GR is only concerned with the shape of space.

[Geek alert: There is one way in which Einstein's theory of gravity seems to run afoul of quantum mechanics. That occurs when you try to quantize the gravitational field itself, into particles called gravitons (analogous with the photons of electromagnetism). When you try to calculate quantum gravitational interactions, you find that the quantities you calculate all become infinite. This is quite unlike any of the other forces, which all give finite, experimentally testable predictions for their interactions.]

79 posted on 08/03/2004 6:27:23 PM PDT by Physicist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson