--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The principles of relativity and quantum…" description: "\"“The principles of relativity and quantum mechanics are almost incompatible with each other and can coexist only in a limited class of theories. In the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/steven-weinberg-3159_magnetic-fields_the-principles-of-relativity-and-quantum_1230535.jpg" --- # The principles of relativity and quantum mechanics are… ![“The principles of relativity and quantum mechanics are almost incompatible with each other and can coexist only in a limited class of theories. In the nonrelativistic quantum mechanics of the 1920s we could imagine almost any kind of force among electrons and nuclei, but as we shall see, this is…” quote by Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/steven-weinberg-3159_magnetic-fields_the-principles-of-relativity-and-quantum_1230535.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/steven-weinberg-3159_magnetic-fields_the-principles-of-relativity-and-quantum_1230535.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/steven-weinberg-3159_magnetic-fields_the-principles-of-relativity-and-quantum_1230535.jpg) > ““The principles of relativity and quantum mechanics are almost incompatible with each other and can coexist only in a limited class of theories. In the nonrelativistic quantum mechanics of the 1920s we could imagine almost any kind of force among electrons and nuclei, but as we shall see, this is not so in a relativistic theory: forces between particles can arise only from the exchange of other particles. Furthermore, all these particles are bundles of the energy, or quanta, of various sorts of fields. A field like an electric or magnetic field is a sort of stress in space, something like the various sorts of stress that are possible within a solid body, but a field is a stress in space itself. There is one type of field for each species of elementary particle; there is an electron field in the standard model, whose quanta are electrons; there is an electromagnetic field (consisting of electric and magnetic fields) , whose quanta are the photons; there is no field for atomic nuclei, or for particles (known as protons and neutrons) of which the nuclei are composed, but there are fields for various types of particles called quarks, out of which the proton and neutron are composed; and there are a few other fields I need not go into right now. The equations of a field theory like the standard model deal not with particles but with fields; the particles appear as manifestations of these fields. The reason that ordinary matter is composed of electrons, protons, and neutrons is simply that all the other massive particles are violently unstable. The standard model qualifies as an explanation because it is not merely what computer hackers call a kludge, an assortment of odds and ends thrown together in whatever way works. Rather, the structure of the standard model is largely fixed once one specifies the menu of fields that it should contain and the general principles (like the principles of relativity and quantum mechanics) that govern their interactions.”” [Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Standard Model unifies relativity and quantum mechanics by describing particles as excitations of underlying fields, each with its own quantum. **In simple terms:** Particles are field vibrations; theory balances two big physics ideas. Key Takeaway Study field concepts to grasp modern physics. Themes physics theory unification Mood inquisitive analytical Type educational scientific When to use this quote - university lecture - academic discussion - science education Key Concepts quantum field theory relativity standard model Questions to Reflect On - How do fields simplify particle interactions? - What limits the Standard Model? 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In the nonrelativistic quantum mechanics of the 1920s we could imagine almost any kind of force among electrons and nuclei, but as we shall see, this is not so in a relativistic theory: forces between particles can arise only from the exchange of other particles. Furthermore, all these particles are bundles of the energy, or quanta, of various sorts of fields. A field like an electric or magnetic field is a sort of stress in space, something like the various sorts of stress that are possible within a solid body, but a field is a stress in space itself. There is one type of field for each species of elementary particle; there is an electron field in the standard model, whose quanta are electrons; there is an electromagnetic field (consisting of electric and magnetic fields) , whose quanta are the photons; there is no field for atomic nuclei, or for particles (known as protons and neutrons) of which the nuclei are composed, but there are fields for various types of particles called quarks, out of which the proton and neutron are composed; and there are a few other fields I need not go into right now. The equations of a field theory like the standard model deal not with particles but with fields; the particles appear as manifestations of these fields. The reason that ordinary matter is composed of electrons, protons, and neutrons is simply that all the other massive particles are violently unstable. The standard model qualifies as an explanation because it is not merely what computer hackers call a kludge, an assortment of odds and ends thrown together in whatever way works. 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