On Mon, Dec 17, 2012 at 1:00 PM, John Clark <johnkcl...@gmail.com> wrote: > > On Wed, Dec 12, 2012 at 10:27 AM, Richard Ruquist <yann...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> > Quantum theory must be based on complex variables and not real numbers >> > or quaternions for example. > > > Quaternions are used in Quantum Mechanics particularly when spin is involved > and it's easy to see why. The real numbers are commutative but there are > things in the physical world that are not, so to have a mathematical theory > about them you need something, like quaternions, that are non-commutative > just like the real world is. Sometimes the order in which something happens > makes no difference, 2+4 =4 +2, but in physics sometimes the order is > important, for example, turning a book 90 degrees around a vertical axis > then 90 degrees around a horizontal axis produces a different result than > turning it 90 degrees around a horizontal axis and then 90 degrees around a > vertical axis. > > John K Clark > I thought it was the product of two quaternions that is non-commutative and that its primary feature is handling rotations in 3d space. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Everything List" group. > To post to this group, send email to everything-list@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en.
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