English

The quantum Newton's bucket: Active and passive rotations in quantum theory

Quantum Physics 2025-10-29 v2 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology High Energy Physics - Phenomenology High Energy Physics - Theory Nuclear Theory

Abstract

Motivated both by classical physics problems associated with ``Newton's bucket'' and recent developments related to QCD in rotating frames of reference relevant to heavy ion collisions, we discuss the difference between ``active'' and ``passive'' rotations in quantum systems. We examine some relevant potentials and give general symmetry arguments to give criteria where such rotations give the same results. We close with a discussion of how this can be translated to quantum field theory.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2502.21298,
  title  = {The quantum Newton's bucket: Active and passive rotations in quantum theory},
  author = {Augusto Facundes and Kayman Jhosef Goncalves and Giorgio Torrieri},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2502.21298},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

Accepted for publication, Modern Physics Letters A (MPLA). Discussion improved and references added