Originally posted by: moshquerade
Originally posted by: Random Variable
Can you explain quantum electrodynamics to me?
Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) is a theory that describes all the physical world phenomena but not gravity and radioactivity. QED is born in 1929 in order to put in agreement the theory of Maxwell on Electromagnetism with the new principles of Quantum Physics. QED introduced in its first formulation apparently unsurmountable theoretical difficulties. Using QED in order to calculate grossly a physical quantity gave reliable answers but, increasing the wished precision, small corrections (supposed such) turned out to be infinite. The solution to the calculation of the physical quantities in QED has been given introducing a procedure of renormalization in 1948 by Julian Schwinger, Richard Feynman and Sin-Itiro Tomonaga, all honored with the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1965. After using the renormalization all the previsions agree with the experimental results within the measure errors. The more important example that can be reported is the magnetic moment of the electron. Paul Dirac previewing a behavior of the electron as a small magnet formulated a relativistic theory of the electron in which the magnetic moment of the electron is worth 1. In such theory was not kept account of the interaction electron-photon. Instead considering such interaction it has been verified experimentally a value of 1.00115965221 and the theoretical forecast agrees until the 9th decimal figure.