Ideas of Frank Close, by Theme

[British, fl. 1983, At the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire.]

green numbers give full details    |    back to list of philosophers    |     expand these ideas
27. Natural Reality / A. Classical Physics / 2. Thermodynamics / b. Heat
Work degrades into heat, but not vice versa
27. Natural Reality / A. Classical Physics / 2. Thermodynamics / c. Conservation of energy
First Law: energy can change form, but is conserved overall
27. Natural Reality / A. Classical Physics / 2. Thermodynamics / d. Entropy
Third Law: total order and minimum entropy only occurs at absolute zero
27. Natural Reality / B. Modern Physics / 1. Relativity / a. Special relativity
The electric and magnetic are tightly linked, and viewed according to your own motion
All motions are relative and ambiguous, but acceleration is the same in all inertial frames
27. Natural Reality / B. Modern Physics / 1. Relativity / b. General relativity
The general relativity equations relate curvature in space-time to density of energy-momentum
27. Natural Reality / B. Modern Physics / 2. Electrodynamics / a. Electrodynamics
Photon exchange drives the electro-magnetic force
Electric fields have four basic laws (two by Gauss, one by Ampère, one by Faraday)
Light isn't just emitted in quanta called photons - light is photons
In general relativity the energy and momentum of photons subjects them to gravity
Electro-magnetic waves travel at light speed - so light is electromagnetism!
In QED, electro-magnetism exists in quantum states, emitting and absorbing electrons
27. Natural Reality / B. Modern Physics / 2. Electrodynamics / b. Fields
Quantum fields contain continual rapid creation and disappearance
27. Natural Reality / B. Modern Physics / 2. Electrodynamics / c. Electrons
Dirac showed how electrons conform to special relativity
Electrons get their mass by interaction with the Higgs field
27. Natural Reality / B. Modern Physics / 4. Standard Model / a. Concept of matter
Modern theories of matter are grounded in heat, work and energy
27. Natural Reality / B. Modern Physics / 5. Unified Models / a. Electro-weak unity
The Higgs field is an electroweak plasma - but we don't know what stuff it consists of
27. Natural Reality / C. Space / 6. Space-Time
Space-time is indeterminate foam over short distances