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Sat 11 Jun, 2005 08:28 pm
There are as far as I know at least three interpretation of quantum mechanics' double slit experiment.
Copenhagen Interpretation (I don't understand this)
Many World Interpretation
and this one I've just heard about in the recent issue of Discover magazine:
Penrose interpretation. It suggests that macro objects can't be at two places at once because of gravity. They have an experiment in mind but haven't carried it out yet. Pretty interesting...
The Copenhagen Interpretation is named after its inventor, Danish physicist Neils Bohr. As far as measurable phsyical quantities such position, energy, or velocity go, Quantum Mechanics often shows a system, for example one particle, existing in a state in which several values are present, each with some probability.
But how can a particle have a certain energy with a probability of .5, another energy with a probability of .2, and a 3rd with a probability of .3? Doesn't everything have to have a specific energy, position, velocity, etc? No, quantum mechanics says that the values of a system's dynamical variables are only probabilistically determined. Of course, when you go to measure a system's position, or velocity, or energy, etc., you will only measure one value. The Copenhagen asserts that the system literally doesn't have a single value until measured, and that the act of measurement forces it to assume a single value. This phenomenon is known as the collapse of the wavefunction.
The Copenhagen interpretation says a bit more, particularly something called the Principle of Complimentarity, but what I have described is the basic idea. I haven't even looked at this stuff in 25 years, so maybe someone else can extend or correct what I've said.
I was hoping someone would tell me more... :wink:
Copenhagen interpretation relies on an observer in order for a reality to exist (?) since it holds that say when you have a cube, all of the sides are all at the same place until an observer looked at it. At least that's what I think it is.
Many World interpretation holds that the single photon is interfered by another photon from another universe in a part of a multiverse.
Penrose interpretation I think holds that macro objects can't be at two places at once, perhaps unlike in the quantum world, because macro objects have strong gravitational force acting on it.
the full version of this article can only be read if you subscribe, but here's what I'm talking about:
Discover Magazine