A dual, particle-wave model of an electron based on an analogy with long-range, van der Waals dispersive forces

Abstract

There seems to be a philosophy emerging that one can never understand how matter can be both waves and particles and should not even try. This paper counters that trend by examining a speculative model that could, at least in principle, explain this duality of nature. The key assumption is that fundamental particles create their own ‘ethers’ by polarizing the space around these particle in a manner similar to long-range van der Waals dispersion forces. The ‘ether’ created by a particle is at rest relative to that particle. Photons and other particles move through these ‘ethers’ as waves in such a way that the speed of light is constant relative to each particle. Electron waves are created when one electron moves through the polarized space domains of another particle by transmitting its kinetic energy to these domains. Using this model, I show that an electron develops waves which follow Broglie's relationship between wave length and electron energy. The results are rather surprising and show, that at least in principle, one can develop reasonable scientific models which at least partially explain the dual-nature of matter.