Physical Interpretation in Terms of Particles

Abstract

Suppose we have a theory satisfying the general postulates of section 1 and suppose even that we have “solved it”, for instance by having computed the w-functions or r-functions. How does it relate to physical phenomena? Experiments in high energy physics are described in terms of collision processes of particles. Therefore we must know which state vectors in $\cal H$ correspond to specific configurations of particles before and after collision. In the present section we give a heuristic discussion of this question; it will be followed by a more thorough and precise analysis in section 4. In both sections the complications caused by the presence of zero mass particles and long range forces will be ignored. These will be treated in Chapter VI.