Before the creation of quantum field theory, physicists attempted to formulate versions of the Schrödinger equation which were compatible with special relativity. Such equations are called relativistic wave equations.
The first such equation was discovered by Erwin Schrödinger himself; however, he realized that this equation, now called the Klein-Gordon equation, gave incorrect results when used to calculate the energy levels of hydrogen. Schrödinger discarded his relativisitic wave equation, only to realize a few months later that its nonrelativistic limit (what is now called the Schrödinger equation) was still of importance.
List of relativistic wave equations
Klein-Gordon equation:describes a massless or massive spin-0 particle
Weyl equation: describes a massless spin-1/2 particle
The first such equation was discovered by Erwin Schrödinger himself; however, he realized that this equation, now called the Klein-Gordon equation, gave incorrect results when used to calculate the energy levels of hydrogen.
Schrödinger discarded his relativisticwaveequation, only to realize a few months later that its nonrelativistic limit (what is now called the Schrödinger equation) was still of importance.
All the particle equations except the Breit, the Yang-Mills and Yang-Mills-Higgs are non-linear.
A relativistic particle is a particle moving with a speed close to the speed of light, such that effects of special relativity are important for the description of its behavior.
(This condition implies that their speed is close to the speed of light.) Such relativistic particles are generated in particle accelerators, and are naturally occurring in cosmic radiation.
In astrophysics, jets of relativistic plasma are produced by the centers of active galaxies and quasars.
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