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ninki
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This is my initial post here so I hope I am within the guidlines for posting on this forum.
Years ago when reading Richard Feynman's textbook, 'lectures on phyics' I caught a phrase where RF was describing quantum mechanics and two hole electron diffraction. RF was arguing for the current QM model (circa '64) and he asked a rhetorical question: Can the electron determine which hole it is going to go through before it reaches the hole?
This isn't an exact quote, but it conveys the meaning as I remember it. "Of course not", was my ininitial reaction, but over the years the germanation of RF'S thought seed took a fateful hold. In all my QM readings and discussions, this matter had not been explored scientifically, much less mentioned, as far as I could determine. So, I took a look at the problem and asked the same question:
Does the electron determine which hole it is going to travel through before it arrives at the hole?.
This tinme I canme up with a different answer,
"The electron has to determine the hole it is going through before arriving at the plane of the holes".
Here is how I cam up with my reply, which astounded me.
The electron for all its many descirptions, has a rigorously linked associated mass and charge distribution. As the electron is heading toward the plane containing the two holes, the charge field precedes the electron's arrival. The reflected charge field is mixed with more of the oncoming charge field, which behaves like a self-induced repelling force force on the the electron motion.
Assuming the plane of the hole surface is "flat", the repelling force is evenly distributed across the mass of the on coming electron. The exception to this, of course, is the existence of a potential force well immediately adjacent to, and in line with, the hole and the moving electron. A dimished charge density distribution due to the absence of a reflecting surface located at the hole(s) defines the geomentry of the potential force well. This potential well determines the fate of the electron as it is self-guided into one of the two (or more) available holes.
Which of the holes selected is in part statistically determined. The properties of electron velocity, spatial relation of electron and hole location, etc would be deciding factors predicting, or determining, the actual hole selected. I am not suggesting this is a trivial experimental process, only that it is within the realm of practical possibility.
As all known and unknown physical parameters offer some information leading to predictability regarding causal effects regarding hole selection, it is imprecise to assert that the hole selection process in electron diffraction is limited to a purely random "coin toss" mechanism.
I would appreciate any comments.
Ninki
Years ago when reading Richard Feynman's textbook, 'lectures on phyics' I caught a phrase where RF was describing quantum mechanics and two hole electron diffraction. RF was arguing for the current QM model (circa '64) and he asked a rhetorical question: Can the electron determine which hole it is going to go through before it reaches the hole?
This isn't an exact quote, but it conveys the meaning as I remember it. "Of course not", was my ininitial reaction, but over the years the germanation of RF'S thought seed took a fateful hold. In all my QM readings and discussions, this matter had not been explored scientifically, much less mentioned, as far as I could determine. So, I took a look at the problem and asked the same question:
Does the electron determine which hole it is going to travel through before it arrives at the hole?.
This tinme I canme up with a different answer,
"The electron has to determine the hole it is going through before arriving at the plane of the holes".
Here is how I cam up with my reply, which astounded me.
The electron for all its many descirptions, has a rigorously linked associated mass and charge distribution. As the electron is heading toward the plane containing the two holes, the charge field precedes the electron's arrival. The reflected charge field is mixed with more of the oncoming charge field, which behaves like a self-induced repelling force force on the the electron motion.
Assuming the plane of the hole surface is "flat", the repelling force is evenly distributed across the mass of the on coming electron. The exception to this, of course, is the existence of a potential force well immediately adjacent to, and in line with, the hole and the moving electron. A dimished charge density distribution due to the absence of a reflecting surface located at the hole(s) defines the geomentry of the potential force well. This potential well determines the fate of the electron as it is self-guided into one of the two (or more) available holes.
Which of the holes selected is in part statistically determined. The properties of electron velocity, spatial relation of electron and hole location, etc would be deciding factors predicting, or determining, the actual hole selected. I am not suggesting this is a trivial experimental process, only that it is within the realm of practical possibility.
As all known and unknown physical parameters offer some information leading to predictability regarding causal effects regarding hole selection, it is imprecise to assert that the hole selection process in electron diffraction is limited to a purely random "coin toss" mechanism.
I would appreciate any comments.
Ninki