Chapter 595: Unexpected Debate

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Inside his office…

Marcus picked up the issue of ‘Nature’ that had fallen on his desk and began to read Dieppe’s paper carefully from beginning to end.

This time, he was more focused and devoted more attention to it than when he first reviewed it. It was not until a long while that he finally tapped the table with his black gloves. “If electrons are regarded as quasi-waves, it will be possible to explain the energy levels and the orbits of electrons in the new alchemy. No wonder His Excellency Lucien Evans attached such great importance to Dieppe’s hypothesis.”

It was what he was thinking and nobody could hear it. Even though Marcus, who hated the light quantum theory, was unwilling to call Lucien as Excellency, he couldn’t help but recall the great significance of the theory of relativity when it explained the electromagnetic phenomena in the motion system; as well as its awe-inspiring description on the nature of gravity when he thought of the name, and therefore added Excellency subconsciously.

“In any case, this assumption is still too bold. It has to be confirmed by experiments.” Marcus put down the journal and left the office, ready to return to his own magic tower. “The authority and pillar of the particle theory actually require the idea that electrons are waves to modify the energy levels and the orbits. This is the best irony. Didn’t he see this coming when he proposed the light quantum theory?”

For the arcanists who were often shocked, they wouldn’t have survived to this day if they blindly believed other people’s opinions without confirming them. Therefore, although Lucien was an absolute authority, Marcus wouldn’t believe his opinions easily. Everything must be based on experiment phenomena and data.

The sole influence of Lucien’s note was that the attention for the paper had been raised to the highest. That was the closest path to the reality of the microworld.

If he could devise and complete the experiment, confirming electrons’ nature of waves, he would receive unimaginable returns and probably share Evans Prize in Arcana with Dieppe!

His strength, fame, future, and position would all improve significantly!

Inside the magic tower…

Yana looked at ‘Nature’ before him in amusement. “I didn’t see it coming that His Excellency Evans would give such a high remark. Is it an encouragement that we should keep an open mind?”

“Electrons are waves… This is truly an epoch of fantasies. Thirty years ago, whoever claimed that atoms were waves would’ve been mocked by every arcanist, including even those who believed in the nature of energy. But right now, tsk…”

He was not laughing at anyone but merely expressing his shock. Then, he was in deep thought, searching for the possible ways of devising an experiment.

Even the sorcerers of the school of electromagnetism who were glad about Dieppe’s assumption were rather hesitant. It was needless to say that the arcanists found it unacceptable.

In the headquarters of the Will of Elements…

Larry, K, and Gaston were also confused when they read ‘Nature’ of this issue. After a while, Larry smiled bitterly, “Am I too conservative, or is the world changing too fast for us to follow?”

“I believe that nobody in the Congress could follow it.” Gaston shook his head. “Lucien must’ve seen the dawn of the distribution of electrons in the new alchemy from this hypothesis, but as he said himself, experiments were still vital. Since there are still no experiments, it remains to be seen whether or not electrons are waves.”

Said Gaston as Larry and K listened, and it felt extremely weird. Why could such a question as ‘are electrons waves?’ have possibly been asked?

It was as weird as somebody asking ‘are humans made of waves?’.

K nodded and scratched the back of the chain. “If we alter our opinion just because of a hypothesis and Lucien’s confirmation, our opinion will be barely an opinion. Also, all the current experiments prove the particle nature of electrons. There’s no doubt about that.”

“That’s the attitude we should hold.” Said Gaston approvingly, but he also frowned. If the problems in the new alchemy could be resolved if electrons were regarded as waves, the hypothesis would also be partly true.

Also, it was impossible to perfect the new alchemy based on the hypothesis so soon, and there was no sign that the wave experiments about electrons could be improved. Regardless, Gaston began to worry about which of the two fundamental theories in the field of elements and matter he should abandon; the particle theory, or the new alchemy?

“This is truly an era with so many changes and peculiarities that we can barely adapt to it.” Sighing, Gaston decided to depend on experiments. He had to be prepared for the outcome that the particle theory or the current model of the new alchemy was wrong. As a result, his strength would probably halt until he found a new path.

Larry also sighed. “If it is confirmed that electrons are waves, I won’t be able to understand this world. What exactly is the wave-particle duality, and why? Am I too stupid, or is this world too crazy?”

…

In Atom Institution…

Lazar, Heidi, Annick and the rest of them were all stunned, with ‘Nature’ in their hands, not in their working state at all.

At this moment, Lucien, who had just come in, awakened all of them. They surrounded him, and Heidi asked impatiently, “Master, do you agree with Mr. Dieppe’s hypothesis that electrons are waves?”

“If we acknowledge the wave-particle duality of light, why can’t it be extrapolated to microscopic particles? It can transform the imposed quantization in the new alchemy into an intrinsic quality of electrons.” Lucien thought for a moment and decided to explain the obscure notions in Dieppe’s paper. “Disperse now. I’ll explain it to you.”

The arcanists good at electromagnetism and waves would naturally think about the orbit model of electrons after they saw Dieppe’s paper and his remarks, and whether or not the quantized energy levels and orbits could be deduced without any imposition.

In confusion, Heidi, Alfalia, and the rest of them dispersed and followed Lucien into the conference room.

“First of all, this is an unconfirmed hypothesis. We have to be highly suspicious about it. I’m very glad that you didn’t believe in my remark blindly.” Lucien approved their attitude first and eased their anxiety.

Lucien put his hat on the desk. “However, it doesn’t mean that we can’t try to resolve certain problems with this hypothesis. If the hypothesis can answer certain contradictions perfectly, we will have to pay more attention to the hypothesis. That’s the reason why I gave it such a remark.

“…If electrons are regarded as stationary waves, then, bounded around the atomic nucleus, they can only exist with orbits that are multiple times their own wavelength. In such a way, quantized orbits are no longer imposed on electrons but their intrinsic quality..”

After Lucien’s speech, Sprint and the other arcanists, who were involved in the perfection of the new alchemy, nodded in agreement. Hathaway’s accusation that their quantization was imposed was always an unavoidable issue. Now, there was finally the dawn to resolve the problem. But why did it have to sacrifice the particle theory?

“Master, all of our experiments undoubtedly confirmed the particle nature of electrons.” Annick expressed his opinion subtly but firmly.

Lucien nodded with a smile. “I never denied the particle nature of electrons.”

“Then, how can they appear as waves?” Encouraged by Annick, Sprint and Katrina both asked.

Lucien smiled, “Why can the light both show the nature of particles and yield the classic image of interference and diffraction?”

“That’s probably because some other reason makes particles show the nature of waves, say, the vibration of their location. It may also be because when many special waves are gathered in nodes, they show the nature of particles.” Annick was not shy when it came to arcana discussion.

Lucien shook his head. “Possibly, but I need to correct you about something. Waves and particles are conceptions that we impose on electrons and light. They never claim that they are particles or they are waves. We can totally call electrons by a different term, say ‘the thing whose form of existence is unimaginable’.”

“Name is just a symbol that people come up with. What can we really grasp? Experiment results and our observation, or rather, the nature they show.”

“Waves and particles are defined based on the previous experience and may not apply to the microworld. In order to explore a new realm, we have to learn not to be restrained by obsolete experience and thinking.”

Seeing that his students and assistants fell silent, Lucien smiled. “I’m here for the meeting of the Highest Council. This is all for now. You can try to confirm or overthrow the hypothesis with experiments. It’s a hypothesis after all.”

“But the wavelength of electrons…” Lazar said in a headache.

Lucien pointed at a book on the shelf. “Read the book on crystals. Jerome, you should know that Mr. Morris discovered the diffraction of crystals when he illuminated them with X rays. The wavelength of X rays is short. We can start from there.”

“But electrons’ wavelength is even shorter.” Complaining, Rock went for the book. The other people also searched for files regarding the diffraction of crystals.

Looking at their back, Lucien shook his head. Unless they were terribly lucky, it would be barely possible for them to discover the diffraction of electrons. That was because the Congress of Magic’s study on crystals was abnormal, which boiled down to the slow development of mathematics.

The study on crystals had to be supported by the group theory, and the group theory was based on the development of various fields in mathematics, such as the ‘number theory’. The Congress of Magic’s studies on ‘group theory’ and ‘number theory’, on the other hand, was rather low. So, the study on crystals was mostly based on accidental discoveries and lacked systematic theoretical support.

Thankfully, After Levski Geometry and ‘Nature’ were established, Douglas, Fernando, Hathaway, the Prophet, the Astrologer, Milina, Neeshka, Samantha and many other arcanists had devoted their talents to pure mathematics; boosting the development of the ‘group theory’, the ‘number theory’, and other frontiers to different extents. It was a shame that they hadn’t fully constructed after such a short time. It would probably be enough if they had another ten years.

Because of the delay in the institution, Lucien was among the last few who entered the conference room of the Highest Council. The first thing he saw was his teacher’s terrible eyes were a storm was raging.

“Crap. My master can’t be thinking that I’ve completed the experiment, right?” Lucien felt that it was quite possible. In his teacher’s mind, he was always a person who only gave remarks when he was prepared.

“There are no experiments that confirm the wave nature of electrons yet…” Hathaway suddenly spoke and stared at Lucien with her indifferent and solemn eyes. All the other members, including Hellen and Vicente, looked at Lucien, too.

Lucien heaved a sigh. Were they going to discuss Dieppe’s paper before the meeting?

This was truly the ‘regularity’ of the meetings of the Highest Council…

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