There are several physics definitions of phase. Here, two relevant definitions will be discussed. Firstly, it is a homogeneous part of a heterogeneous system that is separated from other parts by a distinguishable system boundary. For example, a mixture of ice and water is a double-phase system. However, a solution of salt in water is a single-phase system. Secondly, it is a description of the particular stage that a periodic motion has reached relative to other periodic motions of the same frequency. Two varying wavefunctions are said to be in phase if their maximum and minimum values occur at equivalent time intervals such that the phase angle is zero. A phase difference exists if and only if the phase angle is not identically zero.
A phase angle is defined as the difference in phase between two simple harmonic oscillators as physical representations of the abstract ideas of wavefunction of quantum mechanics. The linear displacement () of one at time is given by = where is the angular frequency and is the amplitude. The linear displacement of a similar wave that reaches the end of its period a fraction of the period before the first is said to lead the first by a time and if it reaches the end of its period a fraction of the period after the first it lags by a time . The value of is then given by =(+) where =2 is called the phase angle. It can now be noted that there is a strong physical resemblance between phase difference and temperature difference or thermal gradient as defined in thermodynamics. Analogously, matter and energy can be considered as the two components of the two-phase system of the quantization of the spacetime continuum.


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