25.The Theory of Light

Basing our study on the electric currents generated whenever there is a changing magnetic field (B) and a changing electric field (E) in the electromagnetic wave we can construct a complete theory for the electromagnetic radiations. The theory is created using the symmetry between a long wire placed in the electromagnetic fields which induce vibrating electrons that carry current in the wire and the electromagnetic wave which constitute changing electric and magnetic fields that create vibrating photons in the wave. Therefore a wire is to a wave what a vibrating electron is to a vibrating photon in the wire and a wave respectively. The aim of the paper is to give a clear description of the theory of electromagnetic radiations (light). The goal of the paper on the other hand is to show that the wave-particle descriptions of reality can be applied to any physical situation simultaneously. The objective of the paper is to show that the Photoelectric Effect and the Compton Effect can both be explained by the wave model and the particle model at the same time.

Consider a long wire connected to an ammeter and strong electric and magnetic fields produced in a vacuum. Let us assume that whenever a wire is brought in vicinity of a changing electric field, electrons of mass (m) are set into motion in the wire and then an ammeter deflects, recording a current ( ). The current in the wire due to a changing electric field should be given by

E      (130)

Where ( )  is the permittivity of free space and (j) is the constant of action in SI units Js. therefore the current is quantized and depends on both the electric field and the mass of an electron.

When the wire is brought into the magnetic field, vibrating electrons at a frequency of oscillation (f) are set in motion at a speed (v) through the wire generating a current given by

(131)

Where ( ) is the permeability of free space.

Assuming that the ammeter records different values of ( ) and ( ), what will be the change in the current values recorded at the ammeter? Subtracting equation (130) from equation (131) we have

(132)

This is the change in the currents due to changing magnetic and electric fields. Assuming that there is no change in the current, meaning that the current values for are equal to those of (i.e ). This will imply that the magnetic field strength was equal to the electric field strength at one point in both experiments. In terms of electromagnetic radiations in the vacuum, assuming that a wire carrying current is replaced by a wave and electrons are replaced by photons. The wire replaced by a wave is made up of vibrating electric and magnetic fields at a given frequency making an electromagnetic wave. The electrons replaced with photons will represent the particle properties of the electromagnetic wave (light) with associated mass and speed (v).

The symmetry here is between the long wire and the wave, the electrons and the Photons. The electric and magnetic fields brought in vicinity of the wire and the number of oscillations per second of the electron in the wire is what leads to an electromagnetic wave. The electrons with a given mass and moving at a given speed is what constitute a photon. Then at , we have on arranging,

(133)

This means that at , either a changing magnetic field or a changing electric field produces a current. Then it should be true that a changing magnetic field produces an electric field just as a changing electric field produces a magnetic field. This process in the electromagnetic wave continues indefinitely. The electromagnetic wave will move at a constant speed (c), since for electromagnetic waves, , and for a photon   where j=6.63× Js ( also called the Planck constant after Max Planck) and mv is the photon momentum. Implying that the photon energy is related to the frequency of the electromagnetic wave by ( ). Then the electromagnetic wave will move at a constant speed given as, since by symmetry

Where and

We have therefore deduced based on the symmetry between a current (electron) carrying wire in the electromagnetic field and the photons in electromagnetic waves that an electromagnetic wave moves at a constant speed of light. It is also true from the deductions that light is indeed made up of particles of light called photons and vibrating electric and magnetic fields. The deduction would not be possible if the wave and particle descriptions of the situations had not been applied simultaneously (into what is called “the wave-particle duality).