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Quaternion Quantum Mechanics [video]

47 points| miej | 4 years ago |youtube.com | reply

14 comments

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[+] codewiz|4 years ago|reply
Scott Manley's explanation of the ISS accident also introduces quaternions as a coordinate system for objects in space that solves the gimbal lock problem and has other desirable algebraic properties:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDBt9rZhMb4

[+] superjan|4 years ago|reply
I recall from quantum physics classes a long time ago that some elementary particles are not identical to themselves 360 degrees rotated. You need a 720 rotation for that. I recently learned that quaternions have that same property. Would there be a relation?
[+] miej|4 years ago|reply
yep, this exact thing is discussed in the later part of the video. it's used to hypothesize a qm interpretation where the complex components could actually be more physically interpretable as (quaternion-based) rotations of the kleinert crystal model
[+] wwarner|4 years ago|reply
I think it's a cool idea, but it's one of many that start with a lattice model of space.
[+] bawana|4 years ago|reply
what other models start with a lattice assumption of space? I have been working on the math for a a model of space that is just a lattice, bosons are a vibration on the lattice, hadrons are twists on the lattice, gravity is stretching/compression of the lattice.
[+] miej|4 years ago|reply
haven't done the math, myself - are there significant problems with a lattice model of space?