All Questions
Tagged with quantum-interpretationssuperposition
36 questions
1vote
2answers
166views
Double slit experiment with electrons
Here is my understanding. In the double slit experiment, the one in which we fire one electron at a time, we see an interference pattern on the far screen as well. However, when trying to see which ...
- 1,046
-2votes
1answer
392views
Is Schrodinger's cat a bad analogy? [closed]
I have decided to completely revamp and simplify this question in the light of the down votes. The question is simple. What is it about Schrondinger's cat thought experiment, that demonstrates the cat ...
- 10.2k
1vote
1answer
91views
Why does linearity imply no communication between Everettian worlds?
Scott Aaronson said in this interview https://youtu.be/1ZpGCQoL2Rk?t=3255 that the linearity of Schrodinger's equation prevents us from communicating with other Everettian worlds. Why? Is it analogous ...
- 284
17votes
9answers
6kviews
What experimental proof of quantum superposition do we have?
My question is both naive and subtle. Naive because I don't know much more than the layman about physics and in particular quantum physics. Subtle because physics is an attempt to model the world, ...
- 287
1vote
3answers
640views
What does Aaron O'Connell's experiment prove?
I am a mathematician and a while ago I started studying quantum physics. I know the concept of superposition mathematically, but my question is regarding a famous experiment that Aaron O'Connell ...
1vote
0answers
36views
Griffiths Consistent histories MQS state in Mach-Zehnder experiment
In Robert B. Griffiths' Consistent Quantum Theory, he describes a variant of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer experiment where a detector represented by "off" state $\lvert 1\hat{e}\rangle$ ...
- 29
0votes
3answers
96views
Which interpretation of quantum physics interprets superpositions in the sense of "an object *really* being in two places at once"? [closed]
In popular scientific literature one often reads of "objects being in two places at once" as a verbal way of explaining superposition of states (in the mathematical view of elements of a ...
- 466
0votes
1answer
473views
Does the Multiverse Theory rely on Superposition?
Note: I'm not asking if the Multiverse Theory and the MWI are the same thing, cf. e.g. this Phys.SE post. If I understand it correctly, the Multiverse Theory doesn't rely on the Many Worlds ...
- 165
1vote
2answers
357views
According to the MWI, does the universe always split with all possible outcomes or only splits for those particles that were observed?
Sorry in advance if this is a stupid question. The Many World Interpretation (MWI) says that, at every point in time, the universe splits into a multitude of existences in which every possible ...
- 165
32votes
5answers
8kviews
Am I in a superposition?
Someone looks at me. Now, they know my position and my momentum, with some uncertainty. Therefore, they haven't measured either my position nor my momentum, since neither is known perfectly. They ...
- 3,052
0votes
1answer
50views
System in Superposition, Subsystem in Eigenstate: are the variables real/determined or non-real/undeterminate?
As far as I can tell, this is all textbook Quantum Mechanics, no interpretations were assumed. Isolated system $S$ is divided into 2 isolated, separable sub-systems: $Particle$ and $Observer$. $...
- 3,052
1vote
2answers
160views
Superposition of particle positions
There is an interesting analogy given in this video (beginning at 12:20 -- link jumps directly to this timestamp) on Quantum Field Theory which I am trying to reconcile with one or more ...
- 13
4votes
5answers
410views
Why can’t particles be detected in more than one location?
Sure, there are interpretations of quantum mechanics where the particle really is a little “speck”, so of course it can’t be detected in more than one place. My question is mainly geared toward ...
- 747
7votes
4answers
626views
Why can't the superposition in Schrodinger's cat simply be interpreted as ignorance?
This is something I've dug into for a while, and what I am wondering about is the following argument, which I haven't necessarily seen before. First, we'll take the Wigner's friend variant, because to ...
- 20.9k
1vote
3answers
581views
Why don't we observe superpositions?
Say we are doing the Stern-Gerlach experiment. Here's my understanding of what decoherence tells us. The particle starts in a superposition of spin up and spin down, but then gets entangled with the ...
- 747
