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virtual particle - 3 dictionary results

virtual particle

 
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–noun Physics.
an elementary particle of transitory existence that does not appear as a free particle in a particular situation but that can transmit a force from one particle to another.
Origin:
1970–75
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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virtual particle  
n.  A subatomic particle whose existence violates the principle of conservation of energy but is allowed to exist for a short time by Heisenberg's uncertainty principle.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
virtual particle  
A short-lived subatomic particle whose existence briefly violates the principle of conservation of energy. The uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics allows violations of conservation of energy for short periods, meaning that even a physical system with zero energy can spontaneously produce energetic particles. The more energy a virtual particle has, the shorter its existence. Interactions between normal particles and virtual particles play a crucial role in quantum field theory analyses of interactions between real particles. See also Casimir effect, Feynman diagram, vacuum fluctuation.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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