Interpretation Definition and 803 Threads

Good day to all Physics Forums members, I am currently undertaking a project which involves the use of a Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) to measure the distance an object makes between two points. My setup is as follows: LVDT Type: Solartron DC50 with sensitivity of 6.158...

In Mukhanov's Physical Foundations of Cosmology p348, he writes "Decoherence is a necessary condition for the emergence of classical inhomogeneities and can easily be justified for amplified cosmological perturbations. However, decoherence is not sufficient to explain the breaking of...

Comparing the Klein-Gordon equation to the equation of motion for a classical harmonic oscillator, I notice that for a particle of mass m, \frac {mc^2}{\hbar} is a frequency. Does this frequency have a physical meaning?

According to the Copenhagen Interpretation, and considering Young's double slit experiment: Is what interferes the mathematical wave function flowing out the two slits but the electron itself takes a well defined path? Anyhow, I need a clearer idea about the position definition or...

Is there anyone here who could help me understand the state of physicists understanding just prior to 1905 and Einstein's SR paper? I keep running into length contraction, considerations of simultaneity and its non-universal nature, Lorentz transformations, time dilation and other concepts that...

Homework Statement The problem asked us to show that the Euler-Lagrange's equations are invariant under a point transformation q_{i}=q_{i}(s_{1},...,s_{n},t), i=1...n. Give a physical interpretation. Homework Equations \frac{d}{dt}(\frac{\partial L}{\partial \dot{s_{j}}})=\frac{\partial...

A Snapshot of Foundational Attitudes Toward Quantum Mechanics http://lanl.arxiv.org/pdf/1301.1069.pdf

Homework Statement Im reading and thinking about the interpretation about Schrödinger equation s solutions (wave functions) - what they really mean. What does the amplitude of wave function correspond to? Does it mean that if amplitude is greater then energy of particle is greater as well ...

I'm just curious, but I've been reading about Transactional Interpretation For some time now and I know about the law of causality, Wave function collapse, etc. My question is How would I know when a Absorber (object) emits a Confirmation wave to my emitter (laser) which offers an offer wave...

On an SO(2) bundle over a smooth manifold the holonomy around a closed curve that bounds a disk equals the integral of the curvature 2 form over the interior of the disk. So holonomy measures curvature and visa vera. More generally if two closed curves are homologous then the difference...

Orthogonal set -- Geometric interpretation Hello, If we have two vectors u,v then in an inner product space, they are said to be orthogonal if <u,v>=0. Well, orthogonal means perpendicular in Euclidean space, i.e. 90 degrees. How <u,v> becomes zero. Secondly, if I have three vectors...

I have a few basic questions about the Pauli-Lubanski spin 4-vector S. 1. I've used it in quantum mechanical calculations as an operator, that is to say each of the components of S is a matrix operator that operates on an eigenvector or eigenspinor. But my question is about the utility of S...

I'm having an interpretation problem with the notation used in physics, under the integration sign. What is the proper interpretation of the domain of integration symbol, on the integration sign ? To be more precise, consider a function F(x) of one or several variables. Its integral on a...

Hi, Recently started with FEA - loving it, at least the modelling / load application part. Interpreting the results is tricky - particularly around where loads are applied. Got a project (no pics sorry) which has a drilled hole in a plate, and have applied the load as a a pressure...

Hi all. I've been trying to study microwave and electromagnetic engineering . I'm not sure how I should interpret j in some of the field equations. For example, for the field equations for a rectangular waveguide resonant cavity are: E_{y} = E_{0} sin\frac{\pi x }{a} sin \frac{l \pi z}{a}...

Hello everyone, I'm studying basic graph theory, and my instructor gives me these statements to translate into pictures. I don't quite understand the meanings of the statements, but I have some thoughts about them. 1/ "Any two vertices a, b are connected by at least 2 distinct paths of...

The "cosmological" proper distance from the origin, D(t), to an object at radial co-ordinate r at cosmological time t is given by D(t) = a(t) r(t) The corresponding "cosmological" proper velocity v of the object is given by v = \frac{dD}{dt} = \frac{da}{dt} r(t) + a(t) \frac{dr}{dt} Using...

Ok, so I understand that a vector space is basically the span of a set of vectors (i.e.) all the possible linear combination vectors of the set of vectors... I don't understand the concept behind a subspace or why it's useful. I know the conditions are: 1. 0 vector must exist in the set...

Hello, can anyone suggest a geometric interpretation of the metric tensor? I am also interested to know how we could "derive" the metric tensor (i.e. the matrix <ai,aj>) from some geometric considerations that we impose.

Hello all, I am sorry for this really basic question but am having trouble with visualizing something in my head... I read up on interpretation of integration as area under the curve by splitting it in strips with Δx as the length of the strip and we have the integral in the limit as Δx→0...

Hi! The damped oscillator equation is as follows: x(t)= A exp(γt/2) cos(ωt) where ω= √( (w0)^2 + (γ^2)/4 ) I have attached a graph of a damped oscillator. The question is if I use graph to measure angular frequency, will it be w0 or ω? It should be w0 because if I put γ=0, I should...

Homework Statement I've attached a picture from a passage of my book (Liboff, Quantum Mechanics) with which I am having difficulty. Specifically, equation 1.25 claims to possesses a certripetal force factor (in the text underneith) and a moment arm factor. I see both of these terms present...

Very commonly in thin film articles/journals, I find the full width at half maximum of X-ray rocking curves associated with the quality (order) of the surface. For example, if the same material is grown on two different substrates, A and B, with FWHM values of 0.11° for A and 0.6° for B, why do...

Hi all! If you are given an operator such that A|1> = √(1/3) |1> +√(2/3) |2>, how do we interpret it? I do know that 1/3 and 2/3 are probabilities but is this operator application on state one suggesting that this state in state 1 and 2 with probabilities 1/3 and /3 respectively? Thank you!

So I'm able to calculate them no problem. But the problem is, I don't really understand what they mean. For example, W=∫Fdr I understand that a vector field is something that defines a vector at every point. Then if we pick a curve in the field, we are integrating along that curve. So does...

Homework Statement Consider a tiling of the unit sphere in ##\mathbb R^3## by equilateral triangles so that the triangles meet full edge to full edge (and vertex to vertex). Suppose n such triangles meet an one vertex. Show that the only possibilities for n are ## n=3 ##, ##n = 4##, or...

Hello! I'm a math student, currently trying to write my diploma thesis. My field of study is complex dynamics (iteration of holomorphic/meromorphic functions, Julia sets and stuff). It's a farfetched idea, but currently I'm curious about a potential physical interpretation of the things I'm...

Hello friends! Im trying to get an geometric interpretation of QM and am now confused about the commutation relation between operators. Lets take momentum and position... sure, the fact that they don't commute show that we can not diagonalize them simultanesly. But what is the interpretation of...

Hello all, On one forum I found this link: http://oyhus.no/QM_explaining_many-worlds.html claiming to demonstrate correctness of Many Wordls interpretation of QM. On the one hand - seems like well presented arguments. On the other hand: it claimes to be discovered in 1990,and it seems...

Homework Statement Given the nonzero vector a ε ℝ3, a\dot{}x = b ε ℝ, and a × x = c ε ℝ3, can you determine the vector x ε ℝ3? If so, give a geometric construction for x. Homework Equations a\dot{}x = ||a||||x||cos\Theta The Attempt at a Solution I'm not really certain what it is...

In several recent threads the Poynting's theorem was brought up, and the discussion there became a distraction from the questions at hand without really being solved: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=621018 (starting #74) https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=628896 (this...

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I know that a black hole creates infinite curvature in spacetime and hence infinite time dilation. I was wondering though, if I could think of this stopping of time due to the fact that a light ray moving radially towards the centre of a black hole would have to travel infinitely far along the...

i'm trying to do my ap physics summer work, but I've been having a hard time trying to teach this to myself. i do really well in class, but i need a little bit of guidance to help explain how to use the equations the right way. i'm currently stuck on a question about vrms an it's relation to...

How old was the universe when the first wave function collapsed? Just wondering. I've checked all the FAQs on this, and the one hit in Google doesn't really cover it from a cosmological angle. I see there is a "Participatory Anthropic Principle" but my question is really more about, well, how...

I'd like to find out more about A. Neumaier's interpretation of quantum mechanics. How?

There's a geometric interpretation of the determinant of an operator in a real vector space that I've always found intuitive. Suppose we have a n-dimensional real-valued vector space. We can plot n vectors in an n-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, and in general we'll have an...

Hi, I was told that in order to analyze cycles, wave patterns etc in empirical data, the time frequency analysis using the discrete Fourier transform (or the fast Fourier transform) are most appropriate (instead of say the autocorrelation spectrum). Using the Python scipy.fftpack as...

Hello Friends, I was trying to illustrate intuitively (rather than rigorously) the equivalence of negative energy solutions moving backward in time to be equal to a particle of opposite sign a la Feynman. I begin with a quote from the maestro himself "A backwards-moving electron when...

Hello everyone, I was reading Ashos Das book on field theory, chapter 4.3, and I had this question. This expression: \begin{equation} \left< \psi_f | \psi_i \right> \end{equation} is the transition amplitude of two states. This expression: \begin{equation} \frac{ \left<...

I need help with this, please. Name three moments in the terminator 1 in which the physics was wrong. what was wrong with the physics, and what should have happened? I need it urgently and it is not a homework problem, but it is very urgent. thanks, i appreciate it

I have a question regarding the Many Worlds Interpretation(MWI) of quantum theory. Is there any proposed thought experiment that can/does provide some kind of solid/good proof for the MWI? I have an idea, an experiment and I am very curious about it's validity/soundness and the...

In a metallic system, the Fermi level is crossed either from the conducting zone into the non-conducting zone or vice versa. Is there an interpretation one can give to the direction of the crossing? In other words, if the 1D band gap diagram shows the fermi line is crossed from the...

Phi ~ 1.618

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...

Greetings everyone, I'm going through Griffiths QM, and just wanted to make sure I understood the roles (where they come from, etc.) of the quantum numbers n, l, and m. What is written below is basically an outline of my current understanding, of which I am seeking either a confirmation or...

Most physicists don't draw a distinction between past, present and future.. this is called the arrow of time. Physicists such as Sean caroll, Paul Davies e.t.c But if all events exist in some sense then the future is <not> open. If the future is not open then determinism is true.. thus...

As the poll on this forum from 2011 that has recently been resurrected shows, there are a portion of the users here who adhere to the modern reading of the Everettian interpretation. What I have never seen discussed here though is the issue of whether the worlds split(overlap) or...

moseley did experiments on various elements and showed that the frequency of the k-alpha emission was proportional to the square of the proton no. The formula is (z-1)^2 proportional to the square root of frequency, with the -1 thrown in for the screening effect. The bohr model can explain...

Hi, I've started to watch some lectures on quantum mechanics & they're going well except for the fact that some of it makes no sense. Basically I just don't see how |ψ|²dτ represents the probability of finding a particle described by ψ in the volume element dτ. Most likely it's due to me having...