Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

The Quantum-Mechanical Model of an Atom

The Quantum-Mechanical Model of an Atom

Shortly after de Broglie published his ideas that the electron in a hydrogen atom could be better thought of as being a circular standing wave instead of a particle moving in quantized circular orbits, Erwin Schrödinger extended de Broglie’s work by deriving what is now known as the Schrödinger equation. When Schrödinger applied his equation to hydrogen-like atoms, he was able to reproduce Bohr’s expression for the energy and, thus, the Rydberg formula governing hydrogen spectra.

Models, Theories, and Laws

Models, Theories, and Laws

Scientists frequently use models to help them comprehend a specific collection of phenomena. In physics, a model is a condensed version of a physical system that is too complex to study thoroughly. One such example is the light wave model; unlike water waves, light waves are typically invisible to us. Nonetheless, it is helpful to think of light as being composed of waves, since investigations show that light behaves like water waves. Since it is impossible to visually see what is genuinely...

Electron Orbital Model

Electron Orbital Model

Orbitals are the areas outside of the atomic nucleus where electrons are most likely to reside. They are characterized by different energy levels, shapes, and three-dimensional orientations. The location of electrons is described most generally by a shell or principal energy level, then by a subshell within each shell, and finally, by individual orbitals found within the subshells.
The first shell is closest to the nucleus, and it has only one subshell with a single spherical orbital called the...

The Wave Nature of Light

The Wave Nature of Light

The nature of light has been a subject of inquiry since antiquity. In the seventeenth century, Isaac Newton performed experiments with lenses and prisms and was able to demonstrate that white light consists of the individual colors of the rainbow combined together. Newton explained his optics findings in terms of a "corpuscular" view of light, in which light was composed of streams of extremely tiny particles traveling at high speeds according to Newton's laws of motion.

The Bohr Model

The Bohr Model

Following the work of Ernest Rutherford and his colleagues in the early twentieth century, the picture of atoms consisting of tiny dense nuclei surrounded by lighter and even tinier electrons continually moving about the nucleus was well established. This picture was called the planetary model since it pictured the atom as a miniature “solar system” with the electrons orbiting the nucleus like planets orbiting the sun. The simplest atom is hydrogen, consisting of a single proton as the...

Space-Time Curvature and the General Theory of Relativity

Space-Time Curvature and the General Theory of Relativity

In 1905, Albert Einstein published his special theory of relativity. According to this theory, no matter in the universe can attain a speed greater than the speed of light in a vacuum, which thus serves as the speed limit of the universe.
This has been verified in many experiments. However, space and time are no longer absolute. Two observers moving relative to one another do not agree on the length of objects or the passage of time. The mechanics of objects based on Newton's laws of...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Fundamental physics, existential risks and human futures.

Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences·2025

Same author

Toy Models of Top Down Causation.

Entropy (Basel, Switzerland)·2020

Same author

Summoning, No-Signalling and Relativistic Bit Commitments.

Entropy (Basel, Switzerland)·2020

Same author

Globe-hopping.

Proceedings. Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences·2020

Same author

S-money: virtual tokens for a relativistic economy.

Proceedings. Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences·2019

Same author

Testing causal quantum theory.

Proceedings. Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences·2019

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 8, 2026

Quantum State Engineering of Light with Continuous-wave Optical Parametric Oscillators

Quantum State Engineering of Light with Continuous-wave Optical Parametric Oscillators

Published on: May 30, 2014

Lorentzian quantum reality: postulates and toy models.

¹Centre for Quantum Information and Foundations, DAMTP, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA, UK Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, 31 Caroline Street North, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 2Y5 a.p.a.kent@damtp.cam.ac.uk.

Philosophical Transactions. Series A, Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences

|July 1, 2015

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers propose new realist postulates for relativistic quantum theory and quantum field theory in Minkowski space. These postulates are demonstrated using simplified models for broader applicability.

Keywords:

quantum theory reality relativity

More Related Videos

Generation and Coherent Control of Pulsed Quantum Frequency Combs

Generation and Coherent Control of Pulsed Quantum Frequency Combs

Published on: June 8, 2018

Setting Limits on Supersymmetry Using Simplified Models

Setting Limits on Supersymmetry Using Simplified Models

Published on: November 15, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 8, 2026

Quantum State Engineering of Light with Continuous-wave Optical Parametric Oscillators

Quantum State Engineering of Light with Continuous-wave Optical Parametric Oscillators

Published on: May 30, 2014

Generation and Coherent Control of Pulsed Quantum Frequency Combs

Generation and Coherent Control of Pulsed Quantum Frequency Combs

Published on: June 8, 2018

Setting Limits on Supersymmetry Using Simplified Models

Setting Limits on Supersymmetry Using Simplified Models

Published on: November 15, 2013

Area of Science:

Theoretical Physics
Quantum Field Theory
Relativistic Quantum Mechanics

Background:

Current quantum theories face challenges in reconciling quantum mechanics with relativity.
A realist interpretation aims to provide a more complete ontological description of quantum phenomena.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce a novel set of postulates for a realist version of relativistic quantum theory.
To extend these postulates to quantum field theory in various spacetime backgrounds.
To demonstrate the utility of the proposed framework through illustrative examples.

Main Methods:

Formulation of foundational postulates for realist relativistic quantum theory.
Application of these postulates to quantum field theory in Minkowski and curved spacetimes.
Development and analysis of "toy models" to showcase the framework's capabilities.

Main Results:

A consistent set of postulates for a realist interpretation of relativistic quantum theories.
Demonstration of the framework's applicability to different spacetime geometries.
Validation of the approach through simplified, yet informative, model systems.

Conclusions:

The proposed realist postulates offer a promising new direction for relativistic quantum theory.
The framework provides a foundation for further development of quantum field theory with realist interpretations.
Toy model applications confirm the potential and versatility of the presented postulates.