The
General Concept:
Nucleons
– the 'mass'
of substance
Time,
we are told, is inseparably connected with space, giving what has been coined
the ‘space-time continuum’. Although space-time might be an excellent model
to use mathematically, it has however given rise to all kinds of theories and
speculations about time and time travel, which in my opinion are way out of tune
with reality and will never lead us to answer the question of time itself.
The
most logical line of research into the nature of time is to investigate its
connection with matter, which after all, is the stuff that moves and ages in
time. It seems, after a long period of investigation, that the answer to time
can indeed be found within the structure of matter. Time is not a mysterious
entity that many seem to have us believe. Time can be illustrated as being a
natural occurrence of nature, a by-product of physical and chemical behaviour.
To
repeat, time is assumed to be inseparably connected with matter, the
stuff that makes up the material of our universe. Matter is the essence of our
existence that moves and ages in time, from freshness to decay, from youth to
old age, from simple atomic elements to highly structured forms that can
breathe,
think and reproduce itself. It’s the material that makes up our planet, a
world that’s in a state of constant change from one day to the next. It also
makes up the countless billions of stars of the cosmos as well as our own sun
that provides our need for light, warmth and food.
Matter
is made of substances or a mixture of substances that have atomic elements as
their base structures, and these atomic elements are the building blocks of
matter, from the smallest microscopic object to the largest cosmological object.
Within the structure of these building blocks we find packets of interacting
fundamental particles - the
proton, the neutron and the electron, and
each one of these particles have mass,
which is the property of heaviness, and the greatest portion of this mass
is located at the nucleus of atoms by way of protons and neutrons. The mass of
these two particles is found to be much greater than their surrounding
neighbours, the electrons. From this it was concluded that the
nucleus contains practically all
the mass of an atom, while the mass contributed by an electron is almost
negligible. Therefore, I felt impressed to consider the first fundamental
principle of matter and its relationship with time.
Principle
1:
The
presence of mass at the centre of an atom is to give matter a Mass Basis. Without
it, nature could not create the variety of atomic elements we have in existence.
Electrons
– the platform of time
A
nucleus of centralised mass by itself however,
is of no use as far as creating matter is concerned; it requires
something else to allow it to function as an atomic element. That something else
is the electron; which, as previously
mentioned contributes almost nothing towards the mass of an element, yet its
presence appears to make a vital contribution to matter. It must therefore be
quite an important particle with a special function or principle applied to it.
Let’s see what it might be.
Within
the structure of an atom we find negatively charged electrons distributed around
its nucleus in various energy levels, or shells, that act as stabilisers for the
positively charged protons of the nucleus. Also, the electrons of the two outer
most shells have been found to act as platforms for the energy of exchange
through the emission and absorption of quanta particles.
During
the exchange of energy an electron either jumps to a higher energy level
when absorbing energy or to a lower level when emitting energy. It’s this
action alone that drives chemical and bio-chemical processes, and even physical
events through time by one of time’s fundamental characteristics, the process of change. The idea of time operating by the process of
change is not new and has been a common thought since the days of antiquity.
No
matter what form of change is taking place, the process
of change is always linked with some form of force or energy transfer.
Without this fundamental process of nature time could not manifest itself.
It’s through change that we see evidence of growth, progression, motion,
ageing and decay; and it’s this change from one condition to another that
creates the experience of our passage through time.
The
presence of electrons therefore is vital in the creation of ‘matter with a
time function’, with moments of time being created
whenever an electron emits quanta energy; and where moments of time
decay by the absorption of
quanta energy. Without it, matter could not progress from one state or
condition to another, therefore the flow or passage of time would cease. The
electron therefore appears to be the platform or stage where time is created
through the process of atomic change, and as long as atomic processes are going
on time will always manifest itself. Therefore, we can assume time has a direct
relationship with the electrons of atomic elements.
Principle
2:
The
presence of electrons around a nucleus creates atomic elements with a time
basis, which endows matter the ability to change and progress with a time
factor.
The
Event Horizon
The
transfer of energy is the only means by which chemical change can occur when an
electron trades energy for an atomic event. The outer energy level or atomic
boundary is the area of action, which I view as being the point where time and
events interact that can be defined as being the ‘atomic event horizon’. At
the atomic event horizon atomic, (AEH), atomic events result in the making and
breaking of chemical elements, thus changing the state or composition of matter.
A solitary atomic event contributes nothing but one discrete moment or
single step in time, but when there are billions upon billions of atomic events,
the result is an explosion of continuous change we observe and experience as
being the passing of time.
Principle 2:1 The Event
Horizon of Atomic Elements.
The
outer electrons of
an atomic element is the boundary where the making and breaking of chemical
elements take place. It's the event horizon of atomic events, the
stage where a discrete moment or particle of time is created or decays by
virtue of a chemical change.
Energy
- the principle of action.
So
far we have two key principles, one that sets up the mass basis of matter
and the other setting up the time basis. However, matter cannot function with
these two principles alone; something else is required to get things moving, and
that something else is a principle of action, commonly defined as work.
Work
is the operative influence that causes something to change, and change, as we
have already assumed, is a fundamental feature of passing time.
Without work, (which is the application of energy or force), nature would
remain static and unchanging, therefore it’s logical to assume time will cease
to exist. It seems therefore, time is dependent on the transfer of energy from
one body or form to another, which strongly suggests that energy is the root
cause of time. In fact, I am making an assumption that time and energy are one
and the same.
Consider
for example what the physicist and mathematician, James A Coleman, said when he
explained that mass has an affect on time, which fits in nicely with my
assumption [1]. He suggested that the emission of one photon could be viewed
as one tick of time corresponding to one vibration, and the vibrations of a
nucleus could be considered as acting like the ticking of a clock. When the
frequency of vibration decrease, the nucleus clock is slowing down, therefore a
decreased frequency could be interpreted as a slowing down of time itself.
Physicist,
Paul Davies, declared that in quantum physics, energy always go hand in
hand with time. The amount of energy determines the rate at which time passes -
the beat of the quantum clock, if you like. No energy means the quantum clock
ceases to tick.[2].
If energy is largely derived from photons that appear to act like the ticking of time, and with energy being the principle cause of change, we therefore have a direct relationship between time and energy. Although Coleman nor Davies never stated it directly, it would seem as though time and energy are one and the same. This implies time has a physical existence, an existence that relies totally on the exchange of energy from one body to another, which strongly suggests that energy is the root of time flow.
Principle
3:
The
passage of time is energy dependent
where energy is the source of work that causes change, therefore energy can be
defined as being the root of time.
Work
and Energy.
We
can take principle 3 further by expanding the idea of time’s dependency on
work and energy. One of the fundamental principles of physics tells us that energy has the capacity to do work; it can activate chemical,
biological and physical events. It can make rain, change the weather, change our
environment, boil an egg, create new stars and planets, and even create life and
activate thought processes.
These
acts of change are the results of energy at work, causing matter to flow on its
natural course through space and time.
By
setting up a simple model using ice we can visualise the progression of time
flow motivated by the application of a source of energy, which in this
particular model is heat.
When
a source of heat is applied it agitates the frozen water molecules to the point
where they begin to vibrate to such a degree that the electrical bonding between
them loses its grip, until eventually the molecules begin to break away, rolling
over each other as a flowing liquid. This model shows at a simple level, the
progression of matter through time by the process of change
brought about by work that was put
into effect by a flow of energy.
Principle
3:1 - Work and Moments.
The
passage of time is directly linked with change, and the act
of a change is the result of
energy at work;
energy that comes from the motion of a wave possessing a succession of quanta
that can be defined as moments of
energy at points described as wave crests.
Moments
of Energy
An
addition to principle 3:1 can be made that expands on the idea of moments of
energy, giving a deeper insight into the properties of time.
All
energies possessing a wave structure such as those found in radiant energy,
acoustic waves and even water ripples have wave crests corresponding to moments,
or points of action; where each moment of energy could be related to a single instant of time.
Returning
to principle 3, it states a photon could be viewed as being one tick or quanta
second, but it may be more appropriate to refer to it as a moment
of time, and would suggest that the measure of a moment would be the
same for all moments, but the frequency of moments can vary according to the
frequency or rate of atomic vibrations. Duration
however, is derived from the space found between
each wave crest or moment, which can be short or long, depending on
the frequency of the wave in question. The higher the frequency the shorter the
measurable duration between moments, and if it were possible to reach a
frequency that equals the moment of a
time particle then duration would be equal to a moment in measure.
Time
need not only be photonic in nature; it could be any fundamental particle that
exists collectively as a waveform, such as the electron beam for example. Here,
the speeding electron has the property of moments
by virtue of its relationship to the crest of a waveform, therefore has the
energy to produce work, causing change.
We
can go further and include the more coarse natured acoustic waves and water
ripples, both of which have waveform behaviour with moments, where the particles
of its medium has energy, therefore the capacity to do work.
Acoustic
waves for example convey useful information by way of its moments of
energy, which we perceive as sound with its change
in pitch, loudness, softness, coarseness, sweetness and duration creating the
time effect. Not only can useful information be carried within its frequencies;
its energy can react violently with matter and carry it through time in a most
destructive manner, thereby changing matter in physical terms.
The same applies to aquatic waves. Although they don’t usually convey useful information in the same way as sound waves, they do however have an effect on matter through the moments of its energy. Its energy can influence matter in physical ways such as the erosion of river banks and shorelines, of shifting sand, sediment and rock etc; adding to the overall effect of passing time, as in all other instances, through the process of change.
Principle
3:2 - Moments
The moment of any waveform could be defined as being an instant or moment of time that has energy to do one
particle
of work.
In
wave mechanics, the German physicist Max Planck proposed that radiation was
given off in chunks of energy he called ‘quanta’, which creates
electromagnetic radiation containing many billions of quanta, or photons,
speeding through space as waveforms.
These
pulses of energy, as Coleman had suggested, appears to act like the ticks of
time, with each pulse or quanta emission and absorption being the result of a
change of an electron level.
That's how I perceived time to be. Each and every individual photon behave as though they were particles of time, each particle being one tick, one instant amongst countless billions of instances. It’s the continuation and amalgamation of these particles of time from the whole that creates the seemingly endless flow of time, wherein we observe and experience constant change.
Principle 4:
Photons behave as though they were particles of time, with each photon emission and absorption being one tick, one
instant or quanta second of a larger event. It’s the endless waves of quanta energy as a whole that creates time flow
in the microscopic and macroscopic world.
Time
Waves
A
solitary photon, if it could exist in such a condition, would make no
contribution towards the time flow effect; but with a cycle of photons the
result is a flow of energy in the form of waves from which time is born.
Waves
in all their forms present time-based information of one kind or another,
which would endow them with the description of being time waves, and
there are three good reasons for this description:
1.
Waves supply information.
2.
The information held within waves is of past events.
3.
Waves, being an energy form, have the potential to cause future changes.
The
moment of creation or decay of photons via the time basis at the atomic
event horizon is the ‘where and when’ time is created and decays. The
emission or absorption of a photon relates to the moment now, being the
moment of activity causing a change of an electron position to either a higher
or lower energy level within an atomic element.
After emission from the time basis the photon is a free agent, joining
billions of other photons to become part of a time wave. As a free-moving
particle the photon inherits a past factor after the event, but in due
course it is eventually absorbed by another time basis, and that inevitable
future event gives the photon a future factor.
Not only does the photon possess a past and future factor, it also has a now
factor by virtue of being its own record of the original event. While
outside the time basis of an atomic element, a photon becomes an existing now
particle, and continues to be that moment now for the duration of its
existence outside the time basis between its moment of creation, (emission), and
eventual decay, (absorption). A now particle therefore, is a physical, discrete
existence of the moment ‘now’, together with a past and future factor. It
remains with that identity as an individual and separate quantum particle-part
of an atomic event possessing a past factor, a now factor and a future factor,
until its eventual decay at the moment of absorption.
This view of time led to an assumption that the past, the moment now
and the future are unified within what we call the present, the stage
where events unfold.
The
usage of the terms 'now' and 'the present' is found to be too generalised; both
being used synonymously to mean the same thing. With reference to time physics
they need to be more specifically defined. The term, 'now', needs to be defined
as the moment of action, the smallest moment or tick of time, which is the quanta
second, a measure of time that
is currently measured to be 10ˉ43 seconds according to Planck's
time. It's one solitary change at the event horizon of an atomic element, just
one fractional part of a longer sequence of events found in nature.
Principle 4:1 – Time waves and the moment ‘now’.
Photons,
the moments of a time wave, possess three factors; a past factor, a
now factor and a future factor. This creates a condition where ‘past,
now, and future’ are unified into a time wave that exists in the present,
the stage where events unfold.
Forces
– the controlling factor
Finally,
there’s one other principle that needs to be taken into account, and that is
the effect of forces. Forces are a universal requirement for all existence and
are the prime factor in the creation of energy, matter and time. Without it,
nothing could come into being. If forces didn’t have the ability to influence
each other, its influence on matter and energy would be zero.
Mass, energy and force would melt into the vacuum of space.
However, forces do exist, and they have two fundamental roles within our universe:-
1 They are responsible for the creation of 3-dimensional space in which form can exist; having length, width and height.
2 They are also responsible for the creation of energy, the motive power of all activity and change, thereby creating the
flow of time.
Although a number of fundamental forces have been discovered or assumed, there are two forces that appear to relate to time more than any of the others, which are gravity and the electric force.
The
electric force,
as well as being responsible for chemical bonding, is also responsible for the
creation of electromagnetic radiation, which we found in principle 3 is the root
of time flow. The process of breaking and making chemical bonds, activated by
radiant energy, which this hypothesis claims to be the very essence of time
itself, is the process that carries matter along the mathematically measurable 4th
dimension of time from creation to decay.
Gravity,
says Einstein, has an influence on photons, and this influence can affect their
rate of emission, therefore has an affect on the rate of time flow [3]. That
statement by Einstein strongly indicated to me that time itself is indeed energy
based, which leads to the assumption that time has a particle/wave nature. He
stated that the more massive a body the greater the effect would be. But when
mass becomes too great it will collapse under the force of its own gravity. In
such conditions it is believed that time, (waveforms), will bend back on itself,
or it may even cease to function because of the colossal force of gravity. This
has been one of the views of time existing near or inside black holes, and also
at velocities close to that of light where mass increases to such a degree that
time functions are slowed down. Gravitational mass it seems has a direct link
with the rate of time flow, and the
fact that radiant energy cannot escape from a massive force like that of a black
hole where even time stops, leads to a very strong argument in favour of time
and energy being two features of the same thing. These two major forces, the
electric force and gravity, alongside the others have the ability to influence
mass, energy, time and space.
Principle
5:
The
fundamental forces of nature are the controlling factors of our
existence. They create the 3 dimensions of space, holding matter together
to give them form and substance. They also provide the means for energy
transfer, from which motion and time flow are born.
Conclusion:
With this basic model in mind, it would appear time’s physical existence is
not only related to space, but has a more direct relationship with the atomic
structure of matter where time itself is created at the time bases, (the outer
boundary or atomic event horizon) of atomic elements.
The emission of energy is the cause of time flow that has power to move
matter forwards along the time dimension towards its future of ultimate death or
destruction and total decay.
Time has been shown to be continuously created by the emission of energy;
and after emission, it exists as a flow of moments in waveform (time waves),
which eventually decays on absorption by other masses. It can therefore be
assumed that time is the product of energy transfer between masses.
The assumptions of this hypothesis points to the conclusion that time has
physical properties. It has a particle/wave duality, which can explain a long
standing question regarding the dilemma of past, present/now and future and that
time has a discrete nature. The past, now and future are all unified into one
particle, where each of these three factors of time are relative to its origin
of emission, it’s current status, and final event of absorption.
If
someone asks, ‘What is Time’, our answer might be, ‘Time is energy; and if
that question was followed by, ‘What is the cause of time’ we might
say, ‘It’s the transfer of energy between masses through the influence of a
force’?
This conclusion can therefore unify the whole hypothesis into one
‘all-inclusive principle’, which states:
Atomic
elements possess a mass basis and a time basis
that
combines under the influence of fundamental forces;
and
when coupled with a source of energy,
being
the power of change,
matter
is set into motion with a time function.
See
Fig 3: Atom with Mass Basis and Time Basis
Source
of References:
[1]
James A Coleman: Relativity for the Layman, pages 118-119. Penguin Books
1972,
[2] Paul Davies. About Time, page 180. Published by Penguin Books 1995
[3] Albert Einstein: Relativity. The Special and General Theory, page 180-181. Translation by Robert W Lawson, published by Methuen & Co Ltd., 1920, reprinted 1962.
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