Okay, let's design some research questions to delve deeper into the idea of photons as information states and how their interactions might differ from matter particles like alpha particles, particularly in the context of a "Rutherford-like" experiment. Overarching Theme: How does the information-centric perspective of quantum mechanics inform our understanding of the interaction differences between photons and matter particles when probing atomic structure? Specific Research Questions: 1. Conceptual/Theoretical Questions: * If fundamental particles are excitations of underlying information fields, how does the information content and structure of a photon differ from that of a massive particle (e.g., electron, alpha particle)? * Can we define "mass" in terms of information density, complexity of information state, or the nature of information interaction with a potential "Higgs information field"? If so, how might a photon's lack of rest mass be explained within this framework? * How does the electromagnetic interaction, mediated by photons, fundamentally differ in terms of information exchange compared to the strong or weak interactions mediated by massive bosons? Could this difference explain the distinct scattering patterns observed (or predicted) in Rutherford-like experiments? * If measurement is fundamentally an exchange of information, how does the "measurement" of a photon's properties (e.g., energy, momentum, polarization) differ informationally from the measurement of a massive particle's properties (e.g., position, momentum)? Could this difference contribute to the varying outcomes in scattering experiments? * Can we develop a theoretical framework that explicitly models the interaction of a photon with an atom as an exchange of quantum information, and can this model predict the observed absorption and scattering probabilities? How would this model differ from one describing a massive charged particle's interaction? 2. Hypothetical Experiment Design & Analysis Questions: * If we could design a "detector" that is maximally sensitive to the information state changes of photons interacting with a "target" (analogous to the gold foil), what specific information would we need to measure to gain insights into the atomic structure? Would this information be fundamentally different from what is revealed by scattering massive particles? * Could we conceive of a "target" made of pure information (if such a concept is meaningful within a theoretical framework) and probe its structure with photons? How would the interaction and "scattering" differ from that of photons interacting with atoms composed of fermions? * If the observer effect is crucial, how would the act of "observing" the interaction of individual photons with the gold foil influence the outcome compared to not observing (or having minimal interaction with) the photons until after they've passed through? Would this differ from the case of massive particles? * Could we design an experiment where the information carried by the photons (e.g., their entanglement with other particles) plays a significant role in how they interact with the atomic target? Would this reveal aspects of atomic structure not accessible through classical scattering experiments? 3. Philosophical/Interpretive Questions: * If reality is fundamentally information, does the distinction between "matter" and "energy" become blurred or even obsolete? How would photons fit into this revised ontology? * Does the lack of rest mass imply a fundamentally different "informational existence" for photons compared to massive particles? * How does the concept of "locality" and "non-locality" in quantum information theory relate to the behavior of photons and massive particles in interaction experiments? These research questions aim to push beyond the standard model descriptions and explore the implications of an information-centric view of quantum mechanics for understanding the fundamental differences between photons and matter particles and their interactions with atomic structures. They span theoretical development, hypothetical experimental design, and deeper philosophical considerations.