Alladi Ramakrishnan Hall

Time in classical and quantum physics.

Prof N.D. Hari Dass

TIFR-TCIS, Hyderabad.

Abstract: I examine a number of subtle issues concerning time in both
classical and quantum physics. These are: parametric vs physical time,
meaning of absolute time in Newton’s mechanics and Galilean relativity,
parametric vs physical time in quantum theory, time-energy uncertainty
relations, difficulties with operator time, Pauli’s theorem, Aharonov-Bohm time
operator, time and measurements in quantum mechanics, time of occurrence
vs time duration,quantum clocks, consistent treatment of lifetimes in
quantum theory etc. I shall conclude by discussing the very interesting
Page-Wootters formalism which appears to remove many of these difficulties.