Quantum Field Theory 1a - Creation and Destruction I
Channel: ViaScience
Date: 2018-08-27

The theory of quantum mechanics we developed in the previous series has some loose ends. Notably: 1) We talk about photons being emitted (created) and absorbed (destroyed) but we haven't given a rigorous description of this process. 2) The Dirac equation implies the presence of a "Dirac sea" of invisible, negative-energy electrons. Exciting a negative-energy electron to a positive-energy state appears as the creation of an electron-positron pair. A "better" theory would predict this creation directly without the bizarre, invisible Dirac sea.

The theory developed to tie up these loose ends is called Quantum Electrodynamics. It's the first (of several) quantum field theories.