Classical and quantum inertia: A matter of principles

TL;DR

This paper explores the concept of inertia in classical and quantum physics, examining equivalence principles and proposing a view of preferred quantum vacuum states with stationary fluctuation spectra.

Contribution

It introduces quantum analogs of classical equivalence principles and suggests a specific class of quantum vacuum states with stationary fluctuation spectra.

Findings

Quantum equivalence statements analogous to classical principles

Proposal of preferred quantum vacuum states with stationary spectra

Insight into inertia's role in quantum and classical contexts

Abstract

A simple, general discussion of the problem of inertia is provided both in classical physics and in the quantum world. After briefly reviewing the classical principles of equivalence (weak (WEP), Einstein (EEP), strong (SEP)), I pass to a presentation of several equivalence statements in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics and for quantum field vacuum states. It is suggested that a reasonable type of preferred quantum field vacua may be considered: those possessing stationary spectra of their vacuum fluctuations with respect to accelerated classical trajectories