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Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Can Gauge Symmetry Be Understood Conceptually?

On Sunday, December 13, 2015 at 3:56:58 AM UTC-5, Robert L. Oldershaw wrote:
> Is there a way to explain gauge symmetry/gauge invariance conceptually,
> i.e., without mathematics or any abstract constructs.
>
> This would require a pictorial representation involving known physical
> objects, their observable motions, and non-abstract dynamic/geometric
> reasoning.
>
> Is this possible?

Robert,

Others may disagree, but I think
that expression  is actually
a fairly straightforward thing
to put on the table. Doing so
though, involves expanding
the problem statement or
expression so as to also
illustrate (approximately)
the symmetry/invariance
with abstract mathematics.
(That is, to also show the
symmetry that accounts,
albeit, perhaps only intuitively,
for the unreasonable
effectiveness of mathematics.)