The explanation of quantum theory I've given in this blog follows (roughly!) some ideas first thrashed out by famous physicists working in Copenhagen in the 1920s. Such explanations are loosely categorised as examples of the 'Copenhagen interpretation' of quantum mechanics.
There are other interpretations of quantum theory, which differ mainly in how they interpret the significance of the particle wave and the discontinuous jumps in the shape of the wave that happen when you make measurements on the particle.
The fact that there are so many completing interpretations indicates how uncertain we are about what it 'really' means.
I am pretty open minded about the different interpretations. I have adopted the Copenhagen model here because it's the one I grew up with and have thought most about. My gut feeling is that none of the current interpretations is completely right.
Some people think the particle wave doesn't have any physical manifestation- it is just an abstract mathematical value that is varying in time and space. Others (including me) think there must be something wavy going on with fundamental particles, which brings us to the next post and the famous 'two slits' phenomenon...
No comments:
Post a Comment