Collapsing the wavefuntion to an Energy Eigenfunction?

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    Eigenfunction Energy
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the measurement of a particle's energy immediately after it has collapsed to an energy eigenfunction. Participants explore the challenges of measuring energy without first measuring position, and the implications of such measurements in experimental contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions how to measure the energy of a single particle immediately after it has collapsed to an energy eigenfunction, noting that typical experiments focus on position measurements.
  • Another participant suggests that energy measurements are routinely performed in particle colliders, implying that such methods could be adapted for immediate post-collapse measurements.
  • A participant reiterates the original question, seeking clarification on how to measure energy without prior position measurement.
  • A later reply proposes the use of a mass spectrometer as a potential method for measuring energy without measuring position first, while acknowledging that there may be other methods as well.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a shared uncertainty regarding the measurement of energy without prior position measurement, with multiple approaches suggested but no consensus on a definitive method.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not resolve the limitations of the proposed methods or the assumptions underlying the measurements discussed.

mkarydas
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Is there an experiment that can measure the energy of a single particle so immediately after it has collapsed to one of the energy eigenfunctions?
The problem is that all experiments i can think of are about measuring the position of a the particle so we collapse it to its delta function. But how can someone experimentally measure the energy of a particle ?
 
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What's your question?

How someone measures experimentally the energy of a particle? - well its done all the time in particle colliders.

How one measures it immediately after - simply do the same experiment immediately after - of course if the measurement didn't destroy it.

Thanks
Bill
 
Last edited:
thats exactly my question..how does one measure the energy of a particle without measuring its position first?
 
mkarydas said:
thats exactly my question..how does one measure the energy of a particle without measuring its position first?

Mass spectrometer is one way - probably others as well.

Thanks
Bill
 

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