Boy, Do We Have Threads On The Double-Slit

ZapperZ · Mar 1, 2017

fresh_42 · Mar 1, 2017

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/random-thoughts-part-6.875108/page-80#post-5696223

We could establish a own section for the double-slit.

Mentz114 · Mar 1, 2017

ZapperZ said:

PF Mentors: I'm not sure where this should go, so feel free to move it to a more appropriate forum.

I was waiting for one of my students to finish editing a couple of his graphs and figures, and I got bored. So as often the case, I browse PF (hey, what else do you do when you get bored?). I noticed another thread on the double slit, and just out of curiosity, I decided to do a quick search on the Quantum Physics forum on threads that we have had related to the double-slit. I knew that we have had a lot, but even I was shocked at how many and how often such a question/thread has appeared.

I don't have a good reason for compiling this (maybe someone might be able to use it to look up something?). I also did not include every single thread that I found. I did not include the ones that started off already in La La Land (with apologies to the excellent movie). I also did not include the ones that were started by members that have... shall we say, departed from the forum. I limited this list only to those created in 2016 and 2017.

So in effect, there are many more threads on the double-slit than what I listed here, which is astounding.
''
I will not be surprised if this is the most-asked topic on PF.

Zz.

I counted 30 in your list.

It is probably because so many popular accounts stress the spurious mystery of 'which path information'.

Demystifier · Mar 1, 2017

Looks like we need a double-slit FAQ. (Or do we already have one?)

Greg Bernhardt · Mar 1, 2017

ZapperZ said:

I will not be surprised if this is the most-asked topic on PF.

If you take the homework forums into consideration we have some topics that have been asked hundreds (possible a few thousands) of times.

dlgoff · Mar 1, 2017

ZapperZ said:

I don't have a good reason for compiling this ...

ZapperZ said:

I will not be surprised if this is the most-asked topic on PF.

I think you've shown a new "double slit" tee shirt would be a seller.

berkeman · Mar 1, 2017

What's a double slit experiment?

(runs and hides)...

Comeback City · Mar 1, 2017

ZapperZ said:

I will not be surprised if this is the most-asked topic on PF.

Another common topic is definitely "Expanding Universe." 100 threads came up from my thread search for it :wideeyed:

StevieTNZ · Mar 1, 2017

I have noticed the same kind of questions popping up in the QM forum about the double-slit, to the point that I think its someone creating numerous accounts to ask the questions. Though I am probably wrong on that.

fresh_42 · Mar 1, 2017

StevieTNZ said:

I have noticed the same kind of questions popping up in the QM forum about the double-slit, to the point that I think its someone creating numerous accounts to ask the questions. Though I am probably wrong on that.

We need a big sign above the QM section, or an automatically inserted image / video saying:

Double-slit closed! We fixed it! Eventually lost photons and electrons can be picked up in the Schrödinger ball park at Calculus.

mfb · Mar 1, 2017

This list can be linked in future double-slit threads.

bhobba · Mar 1, 2017

The FAQ section should contain a link to this paper:
https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0703126

Now there are issues it raises, and it's not quite correct:
https://arxiv.org/pdf/1009.2408.pdf

But if people would just read the first paper before posting it would make answering so much simpler, and I think cut down a lot on such posts.

Thanks
Bill

ZapperZ · Mar 8, 2017

Wouldn't you know it, another one just popped up!

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/double-slit-experiment.906816/

Zz.

Greg Bernhardt · Mar 8, 2017

ZapperZ said:

Wouldn't you know it, another one just popped up!

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/double-slit-experiment.906816/

Zz.

Time for an FAQ Insight, nudge nudge

jim mcnamara · Mar 8, 2017

Hmm. Can we implement something like the following:
I search for a topic, if there are matches in Insights they are top of the list. Period. No exceptions. If a FAQ exists, it gets second billing only to Insights.

We may have this, partially, but I have yet to see it happen. Try a search for 'secant' - Stevendaryl's insight shows up in 3rd position. If you want to follow @bhobba's suggestion in combination with @Greg Bernhardt push for insights, this change creates a valid driver. For both predicating the reading a paper first (or a summary) and increasing the usefulness of Insights. win/win.

Greg Bernhardt · Mar 8, 2017

jim mcnamara said:

I search for a topic, if there are matches in Insights they are top of the list. Period. No exceptions. If a FAQ exists, it gets second billing only to Insights.

Technically FAQs are Insights. This could be managed by weighting the Insight prefix. However how to rank when there are multiple Insights in the search result feels tricky.

jim mcnamara · Mar 8, 2017

Insights and FAQ's are clearly seldom the first choice of new posters. Zz's first post is proof positive. PF is a really good source of information. IMO, accessing what @bhobba and a lot of other people indicate, does require some kind of change. That's why you get the big bucks for implementation

And a key to the men's room.

Greg Bernhardt · Mar 8, 2017

jim mcnamara said:

Insights and FAQ's are clearly seldom the first choice of new posters. Zz's first post is proof positive. PF is a really good source of information. IMO, accessing what @bhobba and a lot of other people indicate, does require some kind of change.

Part of it is making the useful information more accessible, but human nature will always gravitate to what is easiest and what is easiest is always signing up and posting without any kind of effort to read or find the information yourself.

Greg Bernhardt · Mar 9, 2017

jim mcnamara said:

That's why you get the big bucks for implementation And a key to the men's room.

Would you be more interested in writing an Insight if this feature is added?

OCR · Mar 9, 2017

Greg Bernhardt said:

Part of it is making the useful information more accessible...

I always thought the useful information was easily accessible ?

Although, a person can't make a post unless they are a member ...

jim mcnamara · Mar 9, 2017

@Greg Bernhardt - Have had one written for along time now - on very basic calendric programming - calendars, the use of epoch dates, etc. And no, that's not a factor.

Greg Bernhardt · Mar 9, 2017

jim mcnamara said:

@Greg Bernhardt - Have had one written for along time now - on very basic calendric programming - calendars, the use of epoch dates, etc. And no, that's not a factor.

Submit it! :)

btw, working on the search feature!

Greg Bernhardt · Mar 12, 2017

jim mcnamara said:

Hmm. Can we implement something like the following:
I search for a topic, if there are matches in Insights they are top of the list. Period. No exceptions. If a FAQ exists, it gets second billing only to Insights.

We may have this, partially, but I have yet to see it happen. Try a search for 'secant' - Stevendaryl's insight shows up in 3rd position. If you want to follow @bhobba's suggestion in combination with @Greg Bernhardt push for insights, this change creates a valid driver. For both predicating the reading a paper first (or a summary) and increasing the usefulness of Insights. win/win.

Ok the best I could do is put an Insight to the top of the search result for whatever page it ends up in for those results. So if it ends up on page 1 it's at the top of page 1, page 2 it's at the top of page 2. I couldn't get all Insights at the top of page 1. It's an improvement, but not the best.

jim mcnamara · Mar 12, 2017

Okay, I'll buy that. Thanks for your help.

Boy, Do We Have Threads On The Double-Slit

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