MIT IAP Animating New Physics Day 2: Quaternion Quantum Field Theory Demystified
1,801 views · Published 29 January 2011 · 1:35:19 · Indexed 18 October 2026
Channel: Doug Sweetser · 2011 · Science & Technology
Day 2 of the Animating New Physics project, an Independent Activities Period at MIT event done independently by The Stand-Up Physicist Doug Sweetser, class of '84. Why is quantum mechanics weird? A new explanation is provided that is based on doing Newtonian calculus correctly in Einstein's spacetime via quaternions. Div, grad, curl and all that live in the house of quaternions. Four simple rules will be used to rewrite well-know physics equations with quaternions: 1) keep 4-vectors together 2) drop all factors of i 3) write all constants 4) make equations dimensionless. This approach will be applied to Newton's second law, the uncertainty principle, the Schrodinger wave equation, the Klein-Gordon equation and the Dirac equation. The links between these vital equations are clearer when the same algebra tools are used consistently. Using quaternion animations, a visual understanding of the differences between classical physics, quantum mechanics, and quantum field theory will be supplied.
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