Explanation of double slit experiment.

[jcsubmit]

Quantum objects are particles, not waves. Particles are bundles of energy propagating on a field. It is the properties of the field that seem to give particles wave-like qualities. Thus in the Young's double slit experiment, a given particle goes through one and only one of the slits; it does not go through both slits; it does not interfere with itself. The double slit sets up the boundary conditions on the field. What happens when a particle passes through a slit is determined by the available field modes. As with the Casimir effect, where the attraction between the plates can be explained by the fact that the boundary conditions on the field exclude certain field modes, the boundary conditions on the Youngs slit field determine the field modes available for particle propagation. The available field modes give rise to the observed interference effects. Much confusion is caused by thinking that the wave function refers to individual particles whereas it embodies the state-preparation of the experiment - in this case the effect of the boundary conditions on the field modes available for particle propagation.

 

[unusualname]

yes, but the fields are not magic are they?

You need to model it mathematically, then you'll find you'll get something very close to QFT, otherwise you're just plain wrong.

 

[DrChinese]

... What happens when a particle passes through a slit is determined by the available field modes. ...

And once again, the question I ask is what you mean here. It sounds as if you are describing a classical mechanism - interaction of an object within a medium - when clearly that is not an accurate way to see things. It would be more accurate to describe the particle as self interfering when its path is obscured. That would be true for any quantum object, including atoms and molecules.