Quick question: PWM

[Good_Noodle]

This has been bothering me for the last 45 minutes: what exactly is Particle Wave Matter (PWM)?

I've read mentions of this term on various threads, yet I do not believe that I have an accurate definition. The current definition in my mind is somewhere along the lines of "organic matter", am I close?

Looked around on the commentary geektionary and Google to no avail, nor did I succeed in sifting through past posts. Help me out! :)

[Reichu]

It is the stuff from which uber-beings are made. Listen to Ritsuko babbling about the Shamshel research findings in #05.

[Ayana-Me]

I'm guessing it would be a kind of matter where "particle" and "wave" are inadequate descriptions. I've been a little confused by this myself, doesn't quantum mechanics state that all matter demonstrates the particle/wave duality?

[Mr. Tines]

doesn't quantum mechanics state that all matter demonstrates the particle/wave duality?

It does. The Young's slits experiment has been performed with whole molecules.

QM is a lot weirder than our macro-scale perceptions are set up to perceive.

[V]

Ok, I took some physics back in the day:

Basically, everything in the universe is either "matter" or "energy"

So you've got "light" which is actually "electro-magnetic radiation".

"Electro-magnetic radiation" is made of discrete particles called "photons" (this is what Einstein won the Nobel Prize for when he proved this)

Matter is made of Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons.

Protons and Neutrons are made of Quarks. Electrons are a form of Lepton.

(There are other types of Quarks and Leptons, but they don't exist naturally on Earth)


****At any rate, ORIGINALLY they thought that "electro-magnetic energy" acts as a "wave", and it does, but it does have some "particle" aspects to it because it exists as Photons.

Meanwhile, while studying electrons, they found out that while they are "matter particles" they have some wave-like properties. This is the Uncertianty Principle: it is impossible to know where they are and what direction they are travelling in at the same time.

And given further research, they found out that even Protons and Neutrons have some wave-like properties, it's just that they're so heavy that such wave properties are negligible.

So it's actually a spectrum from:

Protons--->Electrons------------------------------->Photons

Protons have NEGLIGIBLE wave properties, Electrons are mostly particle but have SOME noticeable wave properties, and Photons are almost entirely wave but have some particle properties.

****So the idea is, some have speculated that there might be "stuff" which is between Electrons and Protons, which isn't entirely wavelike and not entirely particle-like.

[THE Hal E. Burton 9000]

****So the idea is, some have speculated that there might be "stuff" which is between Electrons and Protons, which isn't entirely wavelike and not entirely particle-like.

Wweeeeeeellllllllllll, what 'bout string theory also?

[master0rolando]

maybe like how light is supposed to be...

[V]

string theory is beyond that; that explains how quarks and leptons are made and such.

I think the episode just said "it's both a particle and a wave"

[Reichu]

RITSUKO:
We do know the Angel is composed of a type of matter
characterized by both particulate and wave properties, like light.

[CorporalChaos]

string theory is beyond that; that explains how quarks and leptons are made and such.

I think the episode just said "it's both a particle and a wave"

For which the term 'wavicle' is used.

[Space Penis]

So it's actually a spectrum from:

Protons--->Electrons------------------------------->Photons

Protons have NEGLIGIBLE wave properties, Electrons are mostly particle but have SOME noticeable wave properties, and Photons are almost entirely wave but have some particle properties.

****So the idea is, some have speculated that there might be "stuff" which is between Electrons and Protons, which isn't entirely wavelike and not entirely particle-like.

Methinks you misunderstand wave-particle duality somewhat. Everything has wave properties and particle properties. It's not "protons are less wave than photons are", protons are just as much a wave as photons are.

[Anonymous_Evafan]

I think everyone is looking at this slightly the wrong way. On a purely practicle level our bodies are constructed of cells, the Angels on the other hand are made solely of this odd form of matter that allows them to shape-shift and other really cool stuff. Their equivilent of DNA is made of this stuff, they are purely particulate/waveform matter.

[Reichu]

Their equivilent of DNA is made of this stuff, they are purely particulate/waveform matter.

"Equivalent of DNA" as in they don't actually have any?

[Anonymous_Evafan]

Kinda hard to say. I'm inclined to think it is DNA, just not in the terms we usually think of it as due to their nature.

[BrikHaus]

Didn't Ritsuko say something about Angel DNA being very close to human, like a 98% similarity? Meaning, they actually have DNA. Or did I just hallucinate that?

[Reichu]

Kinda hard to say. I'm inclined to think it is DNA, just not in the terms we usually think of it as due to their nature.

Well, you know, either they have this stringy crap floating around inside cell nuclei or they don't...

[slothen]

Chromatin for the win.

[Ornette]

Didn't Ritsuko say something about Angel DNA being very close to human, like a 98% similarity? Meaning, they actually have DNA. Or did I just hallucinate that?

It wasn't their DNA she was talking about, it was whatever that chart she had on her computer screen that was the analysis of the wave pattern of the Angel.

RITSUKO:
The world is filled with mysteries.
For example, take a look at this.
This is the Angel's inherent wave pattern.

Misato:
What? Let me see.

Misato:
Could this be...

RITSUKO:
Yes. Although they are composed of a different form of matter,
their actual composition, in terms of the arrangement
and spacing of the pattern, falls within a 99.89% match of human genes.

[Anonymous_Evafan]

Well, you know, either they have this stringy crap floating around inside cell nuclei or they don't...

Yes, I'd say they would, it's just not the same as ours (see Ritsuko's lines in the above quote).

[Executor]

It is the stuff from which uber-beings are made. Listen to Ritsuko babbling about the Shamshel research findings in #05.

It's almost like Star Trek Technobabble.