Superposition

Chris, Clare and Jon's first (very rough) attempt to explain and prove Superposition - the idea that an object can be in (a minimum of) two different places at the same time.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Unlimited
• Theatre
• Superposition
• Entanglement
• Quantum
• Physics
• Teleportation
• Science

[snarky77005]

@snarky77005 One more thing, Finally how can you be sure that you are only firing one photon at a time?

[snarky77005]

@snarky77005 2. If not all of the photons energy is going with the photon (in other words if 50% of the energy of the photon is going each way) then the photon is not an indivisible quanta of energy.

3. I don’t understand why it has to be the same photon interfering with itself. Why couldn’t it be another photon that took the other path? How is superposition confirmed by this experiment?

If anyone can answer my questions I would appreciate it.  Thanks.

[snarky77005]

Here's what doesn't make sense:

1. If the photon is put into a state of superposition by the first beam splitter before anything else is done, then you should detect 100% of the photons at both detectors, which would mean you are getting double of the energy from the beam-splitter than you are putting into it.

[republicofsandles]

Thank you that was fascinating.

[PRiiZMx]

thanks for the helpful video :)

[Stevezeses]

theoretically there are a total of 4 possible paths that the photon can take, pass/reflect by the first, and pass/reflect by the second, does the single photon in essence take all 4 possible paths at once? And if so should there be 2 photons going into detector b thus doubling the number of photons you had to begin with?

[Blyledge]

Doesn't phase cancellation, especially that caused by self interference, violate the first law of thermodynamics? Half of the photons, and therefore half the input energy, is simply ceasing to exist. What am I missing here?

[utubianame]

I don't think this proves superposition. You can't fire a "single" photon. Your photons at detector A could be getting canceled by other photons, correct? Or am I missing something.

[lawshorizon]

No! ... I believe that "A" would get an "anti-fring" pattern and "B" would get a "fring" pattern (of concentric circles) after the patterns average out and build up by shooting many photons through or by using a constant beam of light. [To understand waves think of sound waves, as an example, although with light there's more going on]

[brod2man]

AND THEN YOU WOKE UP