Double Slit.m4v

A fascinating depiction of the classic Quantum Mechanics "Double Slit" experiment.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• quantum
• mechanics
• double
• slit
• experiment
• wave
• intensity
• interference
• pattern
• electron
• matter
• Heisenberg
• uncertainty
• principle

[sidewaysfcs0718]

can cassiopeia just tell me if im right or wrong on what observing actually means....?

[cassiopeiaproject]

If by "observing" you mean something that collapses an entangled wave function, then it can be ANY interaction with the entangled system. It need not involve any human, any animal, any intelligence... a stray photon may cause such a collapse. "Observing" is obviously a poor term for this function.

[AnLa061095]

What happens if you observe the electron AFTER is has gone thru? Will it still collapse the wave function?

[derek15476]

@TheQuantumMaverick so is the double slit experiment accurate or not ? i dont think it is because then how can the double slit experiment know when we are watching it ?

[Kerrnano]

I liked these cassio vids until i found this copy. Atleast change the dialogue next time

[Wittgensteinism]

Two quotes from Heisenberg:

"...we may say that the transition from the 'possible' to the 'actual' takes place as soon as the interaction of the [atomic] object with the measuring device, and thereby with the rest of the world, has come into play; it is not connected with the act of registration of the result by the mind of the observer."

"Certainly quantum theory does not contain genuine subjective features; it does not introduce the mind of the physicist as a part of the atomic event."

[derman077]

Were there more than two animations done for this script? 

[Lucuskane]

I just admire this. Should have added Schrödinger's time dependent and time independent equations.

[jjunit207]

Dr. Quantum, where art thou?

[TheQuantumMaverick]

Since the interference pattern is caused by a zone where the front-edge diffraction of the two slits overlaps (rather than by mysterious particle-waves that somehow interfere with each other), getting the same pattern by firing particles one-at-a-time no longer holds any mystery.

Particles do no split up, exhibit some mysterious wave nature, interfere with themselves, or interfere with other particles in any way shape or form. Anyone who believes they do is simply deluding themselves.

[TheQuantumMaverick]

Furthermore, experiments have been done as long ago as 1987 that prove you can detect which slit a particle has passed through without completely destroying the interference pattern – debunking the theory that particles mysteriously change their behaviour when we ‘look at them’.

In Summary: Disappointingly, the double-slit experiment is merely no more than a mildly interesting experiment on the effects of diffraction.

[TheQuantumMaverick]

This explanation was proposed by ‘Neo Diffractionites’ (found in a Facebook Quantum Physics discussion)

If a laser is aimed close to, but not above, a knife edge, some photons will bend over the top of the knife edge due to diffraction (demonstrating that diffraction starts at the front edge)

Thus if the slits are close enough (near the ‘wavelength’ of the oscillating particle), there will be a zone where the front-edge diffraction effects overlap; this overlap causes the interference pattern