Do empty space have momentum since uncertainty principle forbids 0 energy at any point?

Question

I like to know do vacuum space have momentum due to quantum fluctuations?

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 08 '20 at 05:08

3

No. There would be no direction for the vacuum expectation value of the momentum since all directions in a vacuum are equivalent.

answered Jan 08 '20 at 05:08

G. Smith

51,534

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 08 '20 at 05:48

1

The total momentum at any point will be zero but as there are minute fluctuations in electric and magnetic fields, it can be stated that vacuum has momentum.

Do check out the existence of virtual particles. This might help you understand deeper about properties of vacuum

answered Jan 08 '20 at 05:48

Chirantandip mahanta

19

2

It's a little misleading to say that virtual particles exist. They are important, but they don't really exist in the way that non-virtual particles do. See https://physics.stackexchange.com/q/185110/123208 & the links therein. OTOH, even the non-virtual particles are just a useful way to talk about the quantized excitations of quantum fields... – PM 2Ring Jan 08 '20 at 09:02

Do empty space have momentum since uncertainty principle forbids 0 energy at any point?

2 Answers2