09-10-2012, 01:44 PM
UNCERTAINTY OF POSITION OF A PHOTON AND CONCOMITANT AND CONSUMMATING MANIFESTATION OF WAVE EFFECTS
[attachment=35761]
INTRODUCTION:
The wave-like properties of light were demonstrated by the famous experiment first performed by Thomas Young in the early nineteenth century. In original experiment, a point source of light illuminates two narrow adjacent slits in a screen, and the image of the light that passes through the slits is observed on a second screen. The two slit experiment is the key to understanding the microscopic world. Waves can interfere, for light, this will make a series of light and dark band .The dark and light regions are called interference fringes, the constructive and destructive interference of light waves. So the question is will matter also produce interference patterns. The answer is yes, tested by firing a stream of electrons. Matter particles, such as electrons, also produce interference patterns due to their wave-like nature so with a high flux of either photons or electrons, the characteristic interference pattern is visible .These characteristic interference pattern is visible Experiment, and cannot isolate the observer or their effects However, notice that electrons do act as particles, as do photons. For example, they make a single strike on a cathode ray tube screen. So if we lower the number of electrons in the beam to, say, one per second. Does the interference pattern disappear? If we lower the intensity of light, or the flux of electrons (the electric current), we should be able to see each photon strike the screen each photon makes a dot on the screen, but where is the interference pattern? The answer is no, we do see the individual electrons (and photons) strike the screen, and with time the interference pattern builds up. Notice that with such a slow rate, each photon (or electron) is not interacting with other photons to produce the interference pattern. In fact, the photons are interacting with themselves, within their own wave packets for the interference pattern is still there, it simply takes some time for enough photons, or electrons, to strike the screen to build (produce) interference up a recognizable pattern or electrons, through one at a time. So what are the individual particles interfering with? Apparently, themselves.
QUANTUM WAVE FUNCTION
The wave nature of the microscopic world makes the concept of `position' difficult for subatomic particles. Even a wave packet has some `fuzziness' associated with it. An electron in orbit has no position to speak of, other than it is somewhere in its orbit. To deal with this problem, quantum physics developed the tool of the quantum wave function as a mathematical description of the superposition associated with a quantum a wave packet interpretation for particles means there is an intrinsic fuzziness assigned to them. The wave function is the mathematical tool to describe quantum entities entity at any particular moment.
SUPERPOSITION:
The fact that quantum systems, such as electrons and protons, have indeterminate aspects means they exist as possibilities rather than actualities. This gives them the property of being things that might be or might happen, rather than things that are. This is in sharp contrast to Newtonian physics where things are or are not; there is no uncertainty except those imposed by poor data or limitations of the data gathering equipment. Further experimentation showed that reality at the quantum (microscopic) level consists of twins of reality, actual and potential. The actual is what we get when we see or measure a quantum entity, the potential is the state in which the object existed before it was measured. The result is that a quantum entity (a photon, electron, neutron, etc) exists in multiple possibilities of realities known as superposition. The superposition of possible positions for an electron can be demonstrated by the observed phenomenon called quantum tunneling. Quantum physics is a science of possibilities rather than exactness of Newtonian physics quantum objects and quantities becomes actual when observed; key proof of quantum super positions is the phenomenon of quantum tunneling; the position of the electron, the wave function, is truly spread out, not uncertain
[attachment=35761]
INTRODUCTION:
The wave-like properties of light were demonstrated by the famous experiment first performed by Thomas Young in the early nineteenth century. In original experiment, a point source of light illuminates two narrow adjacent slits in a screen, and the image of the light that passes through the slits is observed on a second screen. The two slit experiment is the key to understanding the microscopic world. Waves can interfere, for light, this will make a series of light and dark band .The dark and light regions are called interference fringes, the constructive and destructive interference of light waves. So the question is will matter also produce interference patterns. The answer is yes, tested by firing a stream of electrons. Matter particles, such as electrons, also produce interference patterns due to their wave-like nature so with a high flux of either photons or electrons, the characteristic interference pattern is visible .These characteristic interference pattern is visible Experiment, and cannot isolate the observer or their effects However, notice that electrons do act as particles, as do photons. For example, they make a single strike on a cathode ray tube screen. So if we lower the number of electrons in the beam to, say, one per second. Does the interference pattern disappear? If we lower the intensity of light, or the flux of electrons (the electric current), we should be able to see each photon strike the screen each photon makes a dot on the screen, but where is the interference pattern? The answer is no, we do see the individual electrons (and photons) strike the screen, and with time the interference pattern builds up. Notice that with such a slow rate, each photon (or electron) is not interacting with other photons to produce the interference pattern. In fact, the photons are interacting with themselves, within their own wave packets for the interference pattern is still there, it simply takes some time for enough photons, or electrons, to strike the screen to build (produce) interference up a recognizable pattern or electrons, through one at a time. So what are the individual particles interfering with? Apparently, themselves.
QUANTUM WAVE FUNCTION
The wave nature of the microscopic world makes the concept of `position' difficult for subatomic particles. Even a wave packet has some `fuzziness' associated with it. An electron in orbit has no position to speak of, other than it is somewhere in its orbit. To deal with this problem, quantum physics developed the tool of the quantum wave function as a mathematical description of the superposition associated with a quantum a wave packet interpretation for particles means there is an intrinsic fuzziness assigned to them. The wave function is the mathematical tool to describe quantum entities entity at any particular moment.
SUPERPOSITION:
The fact that quantum systems, such as electrons and protons, have indeterminate aspects means they exist as possibilities rather than actualities. This gives them the property of being things that might be or might happen, rather than things that are. This is in sharp contrast to Newtonian physics where things are or are not; there is no uncertainty except those imposed by poor data or limitations of the data gathering equipment. Further experimentation showed that reality at the quantum (microscopic) level consists of twins of reality, actual and potential. The actual is what we get when we see or measure a quantum entity, the potential is the state in which the object existed before it was measured. The result is that a quantum entity (a photon, electron, neutron, etc) exists in multiple possibilities of realities known as superposition. The superposition of possible positions for an electron can be demonstrated by the observed phenomenon called quantum tunneling. Quantum physics is a science of possibilities rather than exactness of Newtonian physics quantum objects and quantities becomes actual when observed; key proof of quantum super positions is the phenomenon of quantum tunneling; the position of the electron, the wave function, is truly spread out, not uncertain