Can Entangled Particles Still Show Interference in Quantum Experiments?

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SUMMARY

Entangled particles, such as emitted photon pairs or electron pairs, do not exhibit interference when one of the particles is subjected to an interference experiment. The wavefunction collapse or decoherence prevents both particles from showing interference, regardless of their distance from the source. Interference patterns can only be observed through coincidences between the entangled pairs. Additionally, while it is true that the quantum wavelength of a grain of sand is shorter than its physical diameter, this does not imply that larger objects cannot theoretically show interference.

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  • Understanding of quantum mechanics principles
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  • Knowledge of wavefunction collapse and decoherence
  • Basic concepts of quantum entanglement
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  • Explore the concept of quantum interference in larger particles, such as atoms and molecules
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Students and researchers in quantum mechanics, physicists exploring quantum entanglement, and anyone interested in the principles of interference in quantum experiments.

feizex
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Hi,

This is my first post here. I have done some reading on quantum mechanics and am curious to know more.

I know about the double slit experiment and the interference pattern produced. I have also read of entangled pairs.

My main question is:

If you have a pair of entangled particles (say an emitted photon pair, or electron pair?) and you attempt an interference experiment on one of the entangled particles, can you still perform an interference experiment with the other?

If not and the wavefunction collapses or decoheres(?) presumably the apparatus that was closest to the source will show the interference and the one further away will not?

What happens if they are both at the same distance?

As an aside, I have also read that the quantum "wavelength" for a grain of sand is shorter than it's physical diameter so you can't perform an interference experiment with it. Is that true? Doesn't that imply that anything larger than a grain of sand has a known location?

Thanks!
 
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feizex said:
If you have a pair of entangled particles (say an emitted photon pair, or electron pair?) and you attempt an interference experiment on one of the entangled particles, can you still perform an interference experiment with the other?
No, you cannot. (This is also related to the delayed choice experiments, in which interference can only be seen as encoded in the coincidences between the entangled pairs.)

feizex said:
If not and the wavefunction collapses or decoheres(?) presumably the apparatus that was closest to the source will show the interference and the one further away will not?
No, neither of them will show interference. Interference can only be seen through coincidences.

feizex said:
What happens if they are both at the same distance?
It will not change anything.

feizex said:
As an aside, I have also read that the quantum "wavelength" for a grain of sand is shorter than it's physical diameter so you can't perform an interference experiment with it. Is that true? Doesn't that imply that anything larger than a grain of sand has a known location?
That is true in practice, but not in principle. In principle, even a grain of sand could show interference.
In practice, physicists can do interference with atoms and molecules, the size of which is also much bigger than their wavelength.
 
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