A Connection between Special Theory of Relativity and Quantum Theory

TL;DR

This paper shows that the Planck-Einstein relation linking photon energy and frequency can be derived from special relativity principles combined with the particle-wave duality assumption, highlighting a fundamental connection between relativity and quantum theory.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the energy-frequency proportionality for photons naturally follows from special relativity and the particle-wave duality, without assuming quantum mechanics explicitly.

Findings

Energy of photons is proportional to their frequency derived from relativity.

The Planck-Einstein formula E=h u ext{ follows from relativity and duality.

Photon energy relation is a consequence of fundamental physics principles.

Abstract

The special theory of relativity does not predict the existence of photons (quanta of electromagnetic radiation). However, it is demonstrated here that it follows from the special theory of relativity that if photons do exist---and we know that they do---then their energy must be proportional to their frequency. This means that the Planck-Einstein formula E=h\nu\ follows just from some results of the special theory of relativity and the assumption of the particle--wave duality.