FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - A University of Arkansas physics professor has developed a novel approach to quantum theory that uses color and light waves to derive the basic equations of relativity and quantum theory.

William Harter, professor of physics, published his derivation in the Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy.

"The new results, I believe, represent a significant paradigm shift in that they show that quantum wave behavior has simple and beautiful properties which were overlooked, and that a truly simpler and more 'down-to-Earth’ view of the world is a fundamentally quantum one," Harter said.

Harter’s approach is based on interfering light waves of pure color or frequency, such as those found in lasers. Harter shows that by exploiting ideas about wave interference, the basic equations of relativity and quantum theory can be derived in a few lines of simple algebra—simple enough for high school students to grasp.

"The main idea is based on the statement 'all colors of light go the same speed,’" Harter said. This observation is related to the way one can find location, speed and time using laser wave interference in an elementary Global Positioning System, or GPS. Simple wave interference, a duet between two colors or frequencies, is they key idea here.

Older approaches to relativity base their logic on particle paths and sharp light pulses or "blinks" inside mythical arrays of meter rods and clocks. But classical blinks and particles are "colorless" mixtures of so many colors, or frequency components, that subtle wave interference effects get washed out.

Wave interference turns out to be behind all the classical rods and clocks; this is the main idea of quantum theory.

What we call classical speed, momentum or energy are just wrinkles, kinks or wiggles in quantum waves that underlie the classical world.

"Kinkier waves mean faster 'mass flow,’ just as bumpy river rapids arise with current flow," Harter said.

Bumpiness of light and matter waves depends upon relative motion; it’s the same whether the laser moves or a person goes the other way. Relativity of velocity boils down to the Doppler shift. Speeding toward a yellow light makes it appear green or blue due to higher frequency and more kinks, while running away from it makes it appear more orange or red, due to lower frequency and fewer kinks.

"The pure color approach clarifies, unifies and simplifies two challenging subjects," Harter said. "Students can find out more, earlier with less to learn, a welcome development in a field that is growing so rapidly."

The ultimate significance of these findings remains unclear, Harter said.

"The next step is to apply the ideas to problems involving rotation and other types of acceleration," he said.

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