Re: electron mass

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From: Paul Doherty (pauld@exploratorium.edu)
Date: Tue Mar 29 2005 - 19:44:14 PST 

Message-Id: <FC1A501F-A0CD-11D9-8828-000A95B38012@exploratorium.edu>
From: Paul Doherty <pauld@exploratorium.edu>
Subject: Re: electron mass
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 19:44:14 -0800

Hi Roy

Good point.

I say

"Light is light"
"Light sometimes behaves like a wave and sometimes behaves like a
particle."

The trick is to know which model to use when.

and the same rules apply to particles.

Paul D

On Mar 29, 2005, at 6:56 PM, ROY MAYEDA wrote:

> Hi, all.
>
> Could we also perhaps say that we are MODELING the
> behavior as either wave or particle, and actually
> using both models simultaneously? I had sort of come
> to the understanding that the behavior of "very small
> things" was not really described by either individual
> model (wave or particle), and that using the
> combination of the two models did not mean that the
> item in question (electron in this case) was REALLY
> one or the other, or even both. We simply need both
> models to have some framework to discuss observations
> and predictions about those items. (i.e. we're not
> necessarily limited to "the truth" in science, but
> looking for the best model to represent what we see
> and think will happen next -- if it turns out to be
> reality, so much the better for us)
>
> Just a thought. As Ron pointed out, when we start
> getting to explanations of why things are so (and what
> constitutes "truth" as well, I suppose), we are
> venturing more into metaphysics.
>
> On a personal and regional note, it's over 60 out here
> and my wife just swatted the first of the billions of
> mosquitoes of the season!
> "Oh, ja! Life in da nort wooooods is gut."
> :-)
>
> Roy Mayeda
> Wheaton High School
> Wheaton, MN
>
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