- #1
bluenrol
- 7
- 0
Hi,
I've been reading a QM book and it mentions that particles can be represented as a wave packet, which provides a description for particles simultaneously as a wave and particle.
It also mentions that the wave packets disperse, and the width becomes extremely large for free microscopic objects in a short period of time.
What is the physical interpretation of this?
Does this mean if I create a free electron at rest, it would be impossible for me to detect it's position after, say 5 minutes, since the probability density everywhere is now so small after the dispersion?
Thanks.
I've been reading a QM book and it mentions that particles can be represented as a wave packet, which provides a description for particles simultaneously as a wave and particle.
It also mentions that the wave packets disperse, and the width becomes extremely large for free microscopic objects in a short period of time.
What is the physical interpretation of this?
Does this mean if I create a free electron at rest, it would be impossible for me to detect it's position after, say 5 minutes, since the probability density everywhere is now so small after the dispersion?
Thanks.