Virtual particle: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:47, 20 August 2025

Latest revision as of 20:48, 20 August 2025

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As a consequence of quantum mechanical [[uncertainty principle|uncertainty]], any object or process that exists for a limited time or in a limited volume cannot have a precisely defined energy or momentum. For this reason, virtual particles – which exist only temporarily as they are exchanged between ordinary particles – do not typically obey the [[On shell and off shell|mass-shell relation]]; the longer a virtual particle exists, the more the energy and momentum approach the mass-shell relation.

The lifetime of real particles is typically vastly longer than the lifetime of the virtual particles. Electromagnetic radiation (falling of in the far field by 1/r) consists of real photons which may travel light years between the emitter and absorber, but (Coulombic) electrostatic attraction and repulsion (fallinfis offa inrelatively theshort-range{{Dubious|reason=It nearis fieldnot bya 1/r^2)short-range force, the range is infinite. E.g., in a relativelysystem short-rangeof only two electrons separated by light years, the electrons *will* repel each other|date=June 2023}} force that is a consequence of the exchange of [[Force carrier|virtual photons]] {{Citation needed|reason=Need an explicit source for why real particles cannot mediate short-range forces such as Coulombic interactions|date=February 2020}}.

== See also ==