Doesn't QM allow for FTL travel?

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of superluminal tunneling and how it relates to the theory of relativity. The participants consider the possibility of an electron appearing at a location further than light could have traveled in a certain time frame, and whether this constitutes traveling faster than light. The conversation also mentions a thread and a paper that discuss this topic in more detail.
  • #1
Raap
29
0
My knowledge of QM is far from great, but I can't figure out what I'm missing here.

When looking for e.g. an electron, it has a certain probability to be at a certain location, right? So how does *not* this allow for the electron to travel faster than light?

If I take two measurements, one taken with a tiny, tiny delay, couldn't I potentially find the electron at one spot with the first measurement, then with the second measurement find it on the completely opposite side, further away than light could have traveled within that small time-delay between the measurements?
 
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  • #2
I understand what you're saying, but I'm still not sure how this rules out ftl travel. Granted, the electron might not 'travel' as such, but if it appears at a location more distant than one which light could have traveled in the time between measurements, even if the electron itself didn't travel there but rather 'teleported' to or 'was found there', then it has effectively covered that distance faster than the speed of light, right?
 
  • #3
I'm sorry, Raap and everyone else. I deleted my message since I wasn't happy with my explanation. I had hoped you hadn't read it yet, since I found it to be just confusing. Sorry for making the thread confusing by it's deletion.

I have found this past thread that may be of help to you. Check out Zapperz's post.

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=97604

edit:

Here is another paper discussing "superluminal tunneling" written by an author of a paper mentioned in the thread above:

H. Winful, Phys. Rep. v.436, p.1 (2006).

I think the best I can do is to provide you with this "reading list" of threads and papers.:rolleyes: I'll leave the discussion and explanation to someone with more experience explaining the effect.
 
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  • #4
Sure, it will have 'traveled' faster than light if you see it here than there in a short time. But if your going into the muddy details remember that relativity says you cannot 'communicate' faster than light. Specific conditions can be contrived where objects appear to be traveling faster than light and that's fine, because you still cannot communicate faster than light and causality is maintained.
 

What is QM and how does it relate to FTL travel?

QM stands for quantum mechanics, which is the branch of physics that deals with the behavior of particles on a microscopic scale. It is often used to explain phenomena that classical mechanics cannot, and it is also the basis for our understanding of atoms, molecules, and subatomic particles. Some theories within QM suggest that FTL (faster-than-light) travel may be possible, but this is still a subject of debate and experimentation.

Does QM actually allow for FTL travel?

This is a controversial topic in the scientific community. Some theories within QM, such as the Alcubierre drive, suggest that it may be possible to manipulate space-time in a way that allows for FTL travel. However, these theories are still hypothetical and have not been proven or tested.

What are the limitations of QM when it comes to FTL travel?

One major limitation is the energy required to achieve FTL speeds. According to the theory of relativity, as an object approaches the speed of light, its mass increases infinitely, making it impossible to reach or exceed the speed of light. Additionally, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle states that the position and velocity of a particle cannot be known simultaneously, making it difficult to accurately control and navigate an object at FTL speeds.

Are there any experiments or evidence supporting the possibility of FTL travel in QM?

Currently, there is no experimental evidence to support the idea of FTL travel in QM. However, some scientists are conducting experiments to test the feasibility of certain theories, such as the Alcubierre drive. These experiments are still in the early stages and have not yet yielded conclusive results.

What are the potential implications of FTL travel in QM?

If FTL travel were to be proven possible within the framework of QM, it would revolutionize space exploration and transportation. It could also have significant impacts on our understanding of the laws of physics and the nature of the universe. However, until there is concrete evidence and a solid understanding of how it could be achieved, these implications remain purely speculative.

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