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Trollfaz
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In the double slit experiment does the screen and the cardboard with the slits count as an observer since the electron interacted with them?
When an electron interacts with the screen to leave a dot at some point, that's an observation of the position of the electron so you could say that the screen has observed the position of the electron at the moment it reaches the screen. Note the screen+electron system has been irreversibly changed by this interaction.Trollfaz said:In the double slit experiment does the screen and the cardboard with the slits count as an observer since the electron interacted with them?
The barrier and the screen are completely different objects with completely different construction. Why would we not expect them to interact differently with nearby electrons? Indeed, we've deliberately designed them to interact differently - we've designed the screen to absorb every electron that reaches it, and we've designed the barrier to interact as little as possible with the electrons passing through the slits.Trollfaz said:Then why is the detector used able to cause the electron to choose which slit to go through but not the screen?
The double slit experiment is a classic experiment in physics that demonstrates the wave-like nature of particles. It involves shining a beam of particles, such as electrons or photons, through two parallel slits and observing the resulting interference pattern on a screen.
The double slit experiment is important because it challenges our understanding of the behavior of particles. It shows that particles can exhibit wave-like behavior and that their behavior is influenced by the act of observation. This experiment has also led to the development of quantum mechanics, which is essential in understanding the behavior of particles on a microscopic level.
The double slit experiment demonstrates wave-particle duality by showing that particles can behave like waves and exhibit interference patterns. This means that particles can have both wave-like and particle-like properties, depending on how they are observed.
The double slit experiment has important implications in the field of quantum mechanics and our understanding of the fundamental nature of particles. It has also led to the development of new technologies, such as electron microscopes, which use the principles of the double slit experiment to image objects at a microscopic level.
Yes, the principles of the double slit experiment can be applied in other fields such as optics, acoustics, and even in psychology. In optics, the experiment can be replicated using light waves to demonstrate the same interference pattern. In acoustics, sound waves can be used instead of light waves. In psychology, the experiment has been used to study the perception of visual stimuli and the role of expectation in observation.