An experiment involving shooting small marbles through two narrow holes onto a cloth reveals fundamental principles of quantum mechanics. When one marble at a time is sent through, an unexpected striped pattern emerges, rather than two distinct marks behind the holes. This pattern is indicative of wave behavior, where waves passing through both holes interfere with each other, creating areas of reinforcement and cancellation.
The phenomenon persists regardless of the particles used, suggesting all objects exhibit wave-like behavior. However, larger objects with higher energy do not display this pattern due to their wave frequencies being different. The experiment further complicates matters by showing that when a single marble is fired, it must pass through both holes to create the striped pattern. Yet, when one hole is blocked or a detector is used to observe which hole the marble passes through, the pattern disappears, and marbles only go through one hole.
This leads to the conclusion that particles act as waves of probability until observed. The amplitude of these waves determines the likelihood of finding a particle in a specific location. This implies that particles do not have a definite position or momentum until they are measured. The article also explores the nature of particle spin, which cannot be known ahead of time and seems to be determined only upon measurement. This is exemplified by entangled particles that always spin in opposite directions, regardless of the distance between them, suggesting an instantaneous communication that defies the speed of light and challenges Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.
Quantum mechanics suggests that the universe is composed of a single probability wave encompassing all particles, and the act of observation by sentient beings appears to play a unique role in determining the state of these particles. This enigmatic relationship between observation and the behavior of particles remains one of the most profound mysteries in science and philosophy.
Key Takeaways:
- Particles exhibit wave-like behavior, creating interference patterns when not observed, but behave like particles with definite positions when measured.
- The act of measuring a quantum system alters its behavior, collapsing wave-like probabilities into definite states.
- Quantum entanglement suggests that particles can instantaneously influence each other’s states, regardless of the distance between them, challenging the notion of locality.
“According to Quantum Mechanics, we can’t even know which particle is which. Suppose we have two particles in a container. Each particle does not have its own separate probability wave. There is only one probability wave, which describes the probability of measuring the two particles in every possible combination of positions.”
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References:
- Patreon.com/EugeneK
- Physics Videos by Eugene Khutoryansky (YouTube Channel)
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