Exploring Wave-Particle Duality and its Impact on Determinism

In summary: In the into to A Brief History of Time, SH says that wave-particle duality refutes determinism. How is that conclusion made?I suppose they're examining the results of two slit experiments and quantum erasers. The fact that it has a frequency/wavelength? I can demonstrate this with a slice of cheese. Just by the fact that energy is transferred to the cheese? Why does it have to be done by a wave?Just by the fact that energy is transferred to the cheese? Why does it have to be done by a wave?
  • #1
Helicobacter
158
0
1. How do we know EM radiation is a wave? Also, how do we know that the magnetic wave is exactly orthogonal to the electronic wave?
2. In the into to A Brief History of Time, SH says that wave-particle duality refutes determinism. How is that conclusion made?
 
Science news on Phys.org
  • #2
Helicobacter said:
1. How do we know EM radiation is a wave?
The fact that it has a frequency/wavelength? I can demonstrate this with http://www.physics.umd.edu/icpe/newsletters/n34/marshmal.htm" .
Helicobacter said:
2. In the into to A Brief History of Time, SH says that wave-particle duality refutes determinism. How is that conclusion made?
I suppose they're examining the results of two slit experiments and quantum erasers.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #3
DaveC426913 said:
The fact that it has a frequency/wavelength? I can demonstrate this in my microwave with a slice of cheese.
Just by the fact that energy is transferred to the cheese? Why does it have to be done by a wave?
 
  • #4
Helicobacter said:
Just by the fact that energy is transferred to the cheese? Why does it have to be done by a wave?

http://www.physics.umd.edu/icpe/newsletters/n34/marshmal.htm" .
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #5
So, the vertical dents will explain the E part. But what about the magnetic component? How do we know it's exactly orthogonal to the electric wave?

EDIT: actually this does not make much sense what i wrote. Maybe the dents suggest 3D waves, and maybe the origin of the beam was rotated.
 
Last edited:
  • #6
1) The magnetic and electric fields are perpendicular because that is what they are always measured to be. The theoretical reason is simply because Maxwell's equations for a plane wave in free space say they will be perpendicular. This is for a polarised wave. For a general light wave, the electric and magnetic fields are in all directions perpendicular to the direction of the wave.
2)Collapse of the wavefunction causes it to become one of the eigenstates corresponding to the measurement made. (I.e measuring momentum causes collapse into a momentum eigenstate). But which of the eigenstates it collapses into is inherently random.
Therefore, even if you knew what the wavefunction was before measurement, you wouldn't be able to tell what the wavefunction would be after measurement. Therefore determinism is not correct, according to quantum physics.
 
  • #7
Helicobacter said:
1. How do we know EM radiation is a wave?
Any EM field pattern propagates at a finite velocity, taking some time to travel over a distance. Also, the pattern of that EM field is preserved as it travels.

This can be readily seen with radio signals sent to and from space probes. The time delay in the signal is well known. That the signal pattern we send from Earth is received and understood from the space probe (and vice versa) means that the pattern is preserved.
 

1. What is wave-particle duality?

Wave-particle duality is the idea that all matter and energy can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior. This means that objects, such as electrons and photons, can act as both waves and particles depending on the experimental setup.

2. How does wave-particle duality impact determinism?

Wave-particle duality challenges the traditional concept of determinism, which states that all events are caused by prior events and can be predicted with certainty. The uncertainty principle, a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics, states that it is impossible to simultaneously know the precise position and momentum of a particle. This means that determinism cannot fully explain the behavior of particles at the quantum level.

3. What experiments have demonstrated wave-particle duality?

The double-slit experiment is one of the most famous experiments that demonstrates wave-particle duality. In this experiment, a beam of particles, such as electrons, is passed through two slits and creates an interference pattern, similar to what would be expected of waves. Other experiments, such as the photoelectric effect and the Compton effect, have also confirmed the duality of particles.

4. How does wave-particle duality impact our understanding of the physical world?

Wave-particle duality has forced scientists to rethink their understanding of the physical world. It has shown that the behavior of particles at the quantum level cannot be fully explained by classical physics. This has led to the development of quantum mechanics, which provides a more accurate description of the behavior of particles at the atomic and subatomic level.

5. Can the wave-like behavior and particle-like behavior of a particle be observed at the same time?

No, the wave-like and particle-like behavior of a particle cannot be observed simultaneously. This is due to the uncertainty principle, which states that the act of measuring one property of a particle, such as its position, will inherently change another property, such as its momentum. Therefore, it is impossible to observe both behaviors at the same time.

Similar threads

  • Quantum Physics
2
Replies
36
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
2
Replies
38
Views
2K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
17
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
9
Views
1K
Replies
12
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
34
Views
3K
Replies
19
Views
4K
Replies
4
Views
359
Replies
34
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
1K
Back
Top