Double Slit Experiment: Dumb question that needs to be asked

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SUMMARY

The double slit experiment demonstrates that electrons create an interference pattern when not observed, but a particle pattern when measured. The act of measurement, specifically obtaining "which-way" information, disrupts the electron's coherence, eliminating the interference pattern. The human eye does not play a role in this measurement; rather, the interaction occurs through light scattering or polarizers. The relationship between polarizer angles determines the presence of interference, with aligned polarizers allowing it and crossed polarizers preventing it.

PREREQUISITES
  • Quantum mechanics fundamentals
  • Understanding of wave-particle duality
  • Knowledge of polarizers and their effects on light
  • Familiarity with the concept of coherence in quantum systems
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the concept of "weak measurement" in quantum mechanics
  • Study the mathematical principles behind interference patterns
  • Investigate the role of polarizers in quantum optics
  • Learn about the implications of quantum entanglement in measurement scenarios
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Physics students, quantum mechanics researchers, and anyone interested in the foundational principles of quantum theory and experimental physics.

  • #61
sillyputty said:
I don't think of it as separate.
In other words, you're ignoring the actual physics. The whole point is that the pattern you get with orthogonal polarizers at each slit (i.e., "which-way information") is different from the pattern you get with no polarizers. That's why we call the first a "diffraction pattern" (or two of them, one for each slit) and the second an "interference pattern". Thinking of them as "the same" is a misrepresentation of the physics.
 
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