Speculation on the Role of Spin in Momentum Based Energy

 Physics is based on experimental observables. Some of these observables are functions of other observables. For example, mass is an observable associated with inertia or gravity and velocity is classically measured, but the product mov yields nonrelativistic momentum which may be measured independently through an impulse hit with a target. A further issue with measurement is the case of vectors. For a vector pointing in one direction, one may orient the z axis to lie along this direction. If one always does this, momentum appears as a scalar, but one has to continuously rotate the co-ordinate system to account for different orientations. In this note, we are interested in spin which is linked to a kind of rotation and so we focus on the momentum vector, but only consider a function of momentum which yields a linear E, free particle energy. Thus, for the Lorentz invariant: -EE + p dot p = -momo, we consider the nonrelativistic limit: E = p dot p /2mo.

   In quantum mechanics, a free particle is represented by the complex probability (wavefunction) exp(ip dot r).This function has physical implications as it manifests itself in n-slit interference experiments so it is physical (not a mathematical convenience), but at the same time is responsible for conservation of momentum in x,y,z because Integral dx exp(ip1x) exp(ip2x) = 0 if p1 is not equal to p2. A physical function (property) through orthogonality creates an important relationship, namely conservation of momentum. We suggest that a similar idea may be at work in a relationship linking a linear E (free particle energy) to a function of momentum. 

   We start with a linear E related to a function of p and only focus on the p vector because if it is treated as a number, the co-ordinate axis must rotate to account for its orientation. We only consider a situation in which p(x), p(y) and p(z) behave in an independent manner in the function of p (i.e. in the same manner as p itself) and suggest that instead of using vector analysis, there should exist a physical co-ordinate axis for each projection p(x), p(y) and p(z) if they are independent. We argue that p dot p = p(x)p(x) + p(y)p(y)+p(z)p(z) does not contain cross terms such as p(x)p(y). This is a kind of orthogonality which we associate with a rotational kind of operator linked with the p(i) operator -id/dx(i). In other words, we seek:  p vector = generalized number = p(x)sx+p(y)sy+p(z)sz, where s(i) are generalized numbers or matrices, so that when this multiplied by itself, it yields p dot p. It turns out that the s(i) are the 2x2 Pauli matrices. 

   In the case of a photon, there is no nonrelativistic limit and a linear E equation related to p is: E= |p|c. This equation is not independent in p(x), p(y), p(z) i.e. one cannot write p(x)sx+p(y)sy+p(z)sz an obtain E = {p(x)sx+p(y)sy+p(z)sz} c. Thus we look for another equation containing a linear E and a function of p. In this case, we use energy and momentum densities as given by the continuity equation: d/dt partial energy density + d grad dot ElxB =0 where d is a constant and El and B electric and magnetic 3-vectors. As in the above analysis, one wishes to have a momentum operator linked with a kind of rotational operator which allows one to eliminate vector math and use generalized numbers. In such a case, grad in the continuity equation becomes the momentum vector and eijk (Levi-Civita symbol in the cross product) becomes the spin matrix.

   Thus in both cases, spin governs the form of the function containing momentum which yields a linear E. In other words, it is not momentum alone which yields the relationship between a linear E (free particle energy) and momentum.