A quantum interpretation of the physical basis of mass–energy equivalence

Abstract

We know energy and mass of a particle can be connected by [Formula: see text]. What is the physical basis of this relation? Historically, it was thought to be based on the principle of relativity (PR). A careful examination of the literature, however, indicated that this understanding is not true. Einstein did not derive this relation from PR. Instead, his argument was mainly based on thought experiments, which focused on the similarity between radiation and matter. Following this hint, we suspect that the mass–energy equivalence could be based on the quantum property of wave–particle duality. We know photon and electron can behave as a particle as well as a wave. Such a wave property could make the particle behave differently from Newtonian mechanics. Indeed, using a wave model which treats particles as excitations of the vacuum, we show that the mass–energy equivalence relation can be directly derived based on the quantum relations of Planck and de Broglie. This wave hypothesis has several advantages; not only can it explain naturally why particles can be created in the vacuum; it also predicts that a particle cannot travel faster than the speed of light. This hypothesis can also be tested in experiment.