The Aether and the Constant h

Planck’s constant h relates the energy carried by a photon to its frequency. This gave rise to our current understanding of particles, light and the entire field of quantum physics.

Remarkable discovery

It’s well worth reading how Planck arrived at his conclusions, because it shows how careful analysis of real world phenomena can lead to some remarkable discoveries.

To solve a problem related to black body radiation, Planck introduced the concept of energy quanta, which in turn led to the realization that light is not a pure wave phenomenon. Tiny packages of energy are involved, i.e. particles.

Particles and frequencies

Since energy and mass are equivalent, Planck’s constant also relates mass to frequency. This is verified with the double slit experiment which works for inertial matter as well as photons. Electrons, protons, atoms, and even molecules have been shown to produce interference patterns.

All particles of all sizes have a wavelength associated with them that corresponds to the energy that they are carrying. Large particles are associated with high frequencies. Small particles are associated with low frequencies.

Wave-particle duality

Some argue from this that Planck’s constant proves the so called wave-particle duality of light and matter. However, pilot waves, in combination with an aether, will yield similar results for photons. It will also yield similar results for inertial matter. But the explanation for this is a little more complex because inertial matter can move at varying speeds.

Electron-positron pairs

To explain the wave nature of inertial matter, we can start with the aether and its role in the production of electron-positron pairs.

Note that the electrons and positrons produced must have associated pilot waves with exactly half the frequency of the original photon in order to conserve its energy. A photon with frequency f can only produce one electron with frequency f/2 and a positron with frequency f/2.

This follows from the fact that electrons and positrons have identical mass, and the fact that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. The combined energy of the electron and positron must therefore equal that of the photon from which they were created.

Stationary particles

The fact that electrons and positrons can have fixed positions in space means that they must constantly vibrate in order to preserve the pilot wave inherited from the photon from which they were made. There’s simply no other way for stationary particles to uphold their pilot waves.

This in turn, goes a long way in explaining why a free neutron decays into a proton, an electron and a neutrino within 15 minutes. Electrons are simply shaken off from the vibrating surface of the proton to which they are attached.

The bouncing electron

If the electron is unable to escape the electric pull of the proton, it returns to the surface of the proton. But it doesn’t reattach. It makes a bounce instead. Unable to escape the electrical field of the proton, and also unable to remain attached to its surface, it becomes a bouncing electron, commonly referred to as an electron cloud.

Conclusion

This demonstrates that it isn’t only the constant c for light that is tied directly to the aether. Planck’s constant h is also a property of the aether. Since c and h are the two most fundamental constants in physics, it is safe to say that rejecting the aether was the greatest mistake of 20th century physics.