Superposition Definition and 673 Threads

Hi. To my understanding, the mathematical justification of various superposition principles in physics is that the sum of solutions to a linear differential equations is again a solution to the same equation. This justification works for solutions of the wave equation...

I just wanted to know how they go about demonstrating a particle being in superposition of both spin up and down relative to some axis. OK, it probably cannot be done with just one any more than you get an interference pattern by sending a single photon through the slits. I get that much. I...

My answer is simply 4.6+ 3.2 = 7.8m , correct me if I am wrong. If it's 4.6 ##\cos(2\pi*5.4x)## and 3.2 ##\sin(2\pi*10x)##, then the max amplitude should be sqrt(4.6^2 + 3.2^2) = 5.6m, correct me if I am wrong.

How is humanity technologically ready for testing below: Something analogous to Bell's theorem testing: for particle(s) in superposition of locations detecting spacetime curvature to test if spacetime can be in superposition. Does above test make sense theoretically even if far from...

A physicist (I'm not a physicist by profession, as you'll have gathered) told me, without being more specific, that interference is not an 'interaction' in the strict sense of the word, in other words in the physical sense of the term. I can only guess at what is meant by this (but perhaps...

How do quantum superposition, indeterminacy, tunnelling, and entanglement affect macroscopic phenomena such as tossing a coin, throwing dice, human thoughts, human emotions, decision-making by humans, the behaviour of other sentient animals, photosynthesis, genetic mutation, the speed of light...

Assume I prepare a linear superposition ##\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}(|g>+|e>)## between a ground and excited level for a large number of "atoms" (it can by any multilevel system, not necessarily an atom). We can assume that the lifetime of the excited level is long enough to allow us to create this...

The definition is, I rewrite it as $$(L[y_1] = L[y_2] = 0) \rightarrow (L[c_1y_1 + c_2y_2] = 0)$$. However, I also wonder, whether it could also be rewritten as, $$(L[c_1y_1 + c_2y_2] = 0) \rightarrow (L[y_1] = L[y_2] = 0) $$ And thus, combining, the two cases, Principle of superposition...

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I was watching this video by minutephysics on the No-cloning theorem. Henry very plainly shows why the no-cloning theorem holds, given the setup. However, I am no quantum physicist and lack the necessary background to truly understand what's going on there. What are the origins of the 3...

shouldn't it be a sort of partially GR and partially QM? I mean in a sort of superposition of both theories such that in the specific limit becomes GR and another limit QM, and in the between both regions it's something entirely else, not QM and not GR. Is this possible? I haven't yet done the...

For quantum mechanics, a certain property of a subatomic particle, e.g. the spin of an electron, which can be either up or down, is a "superposition of states," and one of the two conditions, e.g. the fact that it has spin up or down, doesn't manifest itself until the situation is experimentally...

Here is the circuit that we need to find the Thevenin equivalent of I am really not confident that the attempted solution below is correct. Let's put a test current source between the terminals we're interested in First let's compute the open circuit voltage. We set the newly introduced test...

I cannot find a clear answer on the following beginner’s question on some QM fundamentals: Suppose we have two particles, A and B. Let’s say we generated these as (or otherwise entangled them as) an entangled pair with opposite/orthogonal states. Perhaps horizontally and vertically polarized...

I'm working on a story wherein, it seems to the protagonist, he suffered a traumatic event and forgot three years of his life in response to the psychological trauma. Because of physical trauma, doctors medically induced a coma. The forgotten three years include a breakup with his college...

My professor was teaching me about the superposition of two waves and after this derivation, he marked ##2Acos(\frac{dk}{2}x -\frac{d\omega}{2}t)## as the oscillation part and ##sin (Kx-\omega t)## as the oscillation part, I don't understand why? Any answers regarding this would be considered...

Hello, Convolution is essentially superposition. Conceptually, a copy of the same mask/filter is essentially placed at every point in the signal (1D, 2D, ect.). Once all these convolution masks are in place, we just compute the sum and get the convolved signal. The integral formula for...

Consider an object which is constituted of two different materials, which are inseparably mixed together, but which have different magnitude of masses. To calculate the gravitational force of the object upon another object, can the superposition principle be applied to the two constituent...

I keep coming across this descriptor, "two (or three) independent, non-interacting parts," in many books on QM (for example, Penrose's Shadows of the Mind). It is usually followed by a mathematical description (for example, state vector |A>|B>). I can wrap my mind around the quantum paradox of...

i have this question and i just want to make sure i am on the right track as i know there are quite a few steps to this to get to the final soultions i need to find Current at r1 voltage at r1 current at r2 voltage at r2 i have so far split this into 2 drawings so i am dealing with one power...

(For me to understand, please be mindful to avoid a bunch of jargon) I'm not sure if the proper word is wavefunction or superposition, and didn't find anything in a search of the difference between the two. So will elaborate on the question in my own words. To begin, as far as I undestand...

Here is my workings out: $$$$ If a particle's spin of magnitude ##\frac {\hbar}{2}## is prepared along direction ##\vec r_1## and subsequently its spin is measured along direction ##\vec r_2 ## at an angle ##\vec \theta ## to ##\vec r_1##, the probability of its being found "spin up" along is...

Hi all, it has been quite a while since I've been on here. I am curious, as the TLDR summary says, if it theoretically possible to have a particle in a superposition of states with different ##S^2## eigenvalues. For example, a particle being in the state...

##\mathbf {Homework ~Statement:}## Consider the superposition of two one-dimensional harmonic waves $$s_1(x,t)=3.5 cm \cdot cos(27.5s^{-1} \cdot t - 5.65m^{-1} \cdot x)$$ $$s_2(x,t)=3.5 cm \cdot cos(27.5s^{-1} \cdot t - 5.5m^{-1} \cdot x)$$ ##\mathbf {a)}## Calculate the wavelength ##\lambda##...

Let be a superposition ##|\psi\rangle=\sum_j a_j|j\rangle## with one amplitude ##a_x## much greater than the others, where ##x## is not known. For example, ##|\psi\rangle## may result from the quantum Fourier transform of a periodic wave function with an unknown period. I expect a measurement of...

Let's say atom has two energy levels, ##E_1## and ##E_2##. If atom is in the first state ##|E_1\rangle##, then it's able to absorb a photon with energy ##E_2-E_1##, while transitioning to the second state ##|E_2\rangle##. In atom's spectrum we can see an absorption line at the corresponding...

There are 36 hadron composites composed of 2 quarks selectable from the set ##[u, d, c, s, t, b, \bar u, \bar d, \bar c, \bar s, \bar t, \bar b]## satisfying the condition of having total charge = ##[-1, 0, 1]##. However, the superposition states of pure hadrons are sometimes also listed as new...

In short, the Elitzur–Vaidman bomb experiment consists of a Mach–Zehnder interferometer, where a bomb is placed in one of the paths (I used the wikipedia description https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elitzur%E2%80%93Vaidman_bomb_tester, and Sabine Hossenfelder's video: ) The bomb can be live or a...

Is there an accepted experimental methodology for determining whether a photon's polarization is in superposition or not?

My question is, if the determinism theorem is a good explanation, which covers all holes of the entanglement experiment. why are people still concluding its a 'spooky' superposition which is only determined by a measure and then somehow affects the other measurement. What am I missing? Why is...

All of my speculation is based on my current understanding of quantum physics as an art high school student who just has this as an interest, which is in no way at a quantum physicist's level so I apologize if this question is stupid. Also sorry for my English. Most, if not all of you reading...

Hello there, I would like to get some help for this problem if possible. The problem here is that, after looking at the table I don't really understand how I'd be able to incorporate the moment at the pin A into the deformation. as if you look at the first page 2nd block, there's that simply...

Hi, From what I read here, they did a double slit experiment test with neutrons that seemed to confirm superposition that the particle was in both places at once. Thoughts?

I have a basic question regarding quantum systems in their potential and defined states: Do quantum systems exist in many possible states (i.e. defined as an uncollapsed wave function) merely because we don’t know what state it’s in (i.e. because we haven’t ‘observed’ or measured it, and...

When, if ever, is it necessary to use the superposition principle in order to solve a circuit? Can any circuit with multiple independent voltage sources be solved without superposition?

We assume incident waves to be: y(1)=y(o)sin(wt) y(2)=3y(o)sin(wt+Φ) As Intensity~(Amplitude)^2 We get y(2)=3y(1) This gives us I(2)=9I(1) We assume I(1)=I(o) & I(2)=9I(o) Resultant Wave Intensity I=I(1)+I(2) +2√(I(1)*I(2))*cosΦ ----> I(o) + 9I(o) + 6I(o)cosΦ (We can take cos of this...

I have a question about natural limitations when the superposition principle for circuits is applicable. Possibly there is a quite elementary reason why the problem I'm going to present next fails, but up to now I haven't a precise reason why that's exactly the case. Could somebody help...

Hello! Consider this circuit Now I want to calculate the current Ik. The values are given as follows; Uq1 = 12 V Uq2 = 18V R1 = R2 = 8 Ohm R3 = R4 = 20 Ohm My approach was using the Superposition theorem. First I deactived Uq2 and left Uq1 active. Now if I am not mistaken the resistors R2 R3...

Particles can be made to be in superposition of their states. Concerning Schrödingers cat, if the cat is in superposition of being dead and alive, does that mean that the atom that drives the narcotic is in superposition of having decayed and not having decayed? And does that mean that any...

Considering SG experiment, it is usually described as if an atom in the end of its path (but before being detected on the screen) is in the superposition state, say, ##|\textsf{spin up}, \textsf{upper path}\rangle+|\textsf{spin down}, \textsf{lower path}\rangle##. Some books (Feynman lectures...

When a photon travels through space it is spreading out like a fan while in its superposition (except that it is spreading also vertically in addition to horizontally). So, what happens if for instance the right outer edge of the photon's superposition is captured by the gravity of a black hole...

How does putting it potentially inbetween 2 basis states, which U will measure only later, on, do it!? That seems like magic, to me. And yet I accept that it does. Somehow.

This is how I explain it, away, now: Upon entering the magnetic field the silver atom's valence electron's electric field aligns itself at right angle/s to the magnetic field, the quickest/shortest way it can, as they are wont, to do, somehow, and the rest follows, naturally. And if U are...

One of the paradoxical principles in Quantum Physics is the principle of quantum superposition, since in quantum theory we are not really talking about the superposition of waves or oscillations, but about the superposition of states. A classic example demonstrating the phenomenon of quantum...

Suppose a blind man builds a machine that paints three apples with three colors, either red, blue or green. Once the machine has done this, are the three apples in the following superposition: or is the wavefunction just one of It feels like because the man is blind, the apples should be in...

Good night. I have a doubt, what is the meaning of the coherent states superposition of momentum? In a many of places, sites I see an explanation for the equations but I never see the explanation between diffences of the superposition of position from momentum.

Hey! I am stuck in this problem, i don't know how to sum this ecuations. I remember that its possible because the direction is the same So, i try to sum like this: cos (t+5325) + 1.5 cos (t+5325) =1.5 cos (t+5325) I don't know if i fine. I thanks your help, please ;)

The key observation to solve the above problem is that the charge Q can be dragged out into a flat capacitor plate parallel to the 2 existing plates. Apparently, while the charge distribution on the 2 existing plates changes, the total charge induced on each plate remains the same, due to the...

Wavelength = 2L = 80cm

I have tried many times to solve this network, but can't understand how to get current in each resistors by superposition theorem. Please help me to solve and find currents in each 3 resistors with solution. Note:- The figure is attached below.