dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaGeometrical Optics via electromagnetic wave quantization
| Authors | John P. Hernandez |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0510263 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0510263 |
Abstract
The basic laws of geometrical optics can be deduced from energy-momentum conservation for electromagnetic waves, without other wave concepts. However, the concept of quanta is required; it arises naturally, hence such a hypothesis could have arisen earlier than it did historically. Measurements to determine the angles of reflection and refraction demand that each incident quantum be either reflected or refracted; such a separation is central to the experimental results.
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"abstract": "The basic laws of geometrical optics can be deduced from energy-momentum\nconservation for electromagnetic waves, without other wave concepts. However,\nthe concept of quanta is required; it arises naturally, hence such a hypothesis\ncould have arisen earlier than it did historically. Measurements to determine\nthe angles of reflection and refraction demand that each incident quantum be\neither reflected or refracted; such a separation is central to the experimental\nresults.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0510263",
"authors": [
"John P. Hernandez"
],
"categories": [
"physics.ed-ph",
"physics.optics"
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"title": "Geometrical Optics via electromagnetic wave quantization",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0510263"
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