Books Quote by Felix Alba-Juez
““After some cogitation, it is difficult not to agree with Herman Bondi (1919 - 2005), who in his book 'Relativity and Common Sense' says: ... The surprising thing, surely, is that molecules in a gas behave so much as billiard balls, not that electrons behave so little like billiard balls.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Relativity and Common Sense, Herman Bondi, 1965
The passage highlights the paradox that macroscopic gas molecules follow simple, predictable paths like billiard balls, while subatomic electrons defy such classical intuition.
In simple terms: Gas molecules act like billiard balls, electrons do not.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of everyday analogies in quantum physics.
Themes
science
physics
analogy
quantum
classical mechanics
Mood
inquisitive
thoughtful
Type
explanatory
philosophical
When to use this quote
- education
- public outreach
- scientific writing
- philosophy of science
Key Concepts
particle behavior
scale disparity
conceptual models
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we rely on familiar analogies for complex concepts?
- What are the risks of oversimplifying quantum behavior?
A Different Perspective
Analogies can mislead when applied beyond their valid scale.
![“If I say [electrons] behave like particles I give the wrong impression; also if I say they behave like waves. They behave in their own inimitable way, which technically could be called a quantum mechanical way. They behave in a way that is like nothing that you have seen before.” quote by Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fd0/richard-p-feynman-495_behave_if-i-say-electrons-behave-like-particles_1495136.jpg)
