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Gecko
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what exactly happens in this theory? is it a list of possible paths that the particle COULD take, or is it the paths the particle DID take? also, wouldn't there be an infinite amount of paths? how do these cancel out?
Feynman said:selfAdjoint talk write.
But the problem is bigger .
the problem is how we can define this integral?
maudr said:Feynman DID NOT invent path integrals. Path integrals are a way to sum a function which values every point in n-space when taking a particular path. That's what they are. Feynman used a different kind of integral, and the terminology's confused - the two types of path integrals don't mean the same thing.
masudr said:Do read QED, it's brilliant. Forget what Stephen Hawking thinks (well not everything he thinks).I think Feynman's one of THE greatest theorists for his path integral formulation of quantum mechanics.
SelfAdjoint said:Technically, though, you're right. Feynman didn't invent them, Dirac did. Feynman's insight was the big introduction of path integrals into pjysics.
Feynman's Sum Over Paths is a mathematical technique used in quantum mechanics to calculate the probability of a particle's movement from one point to another. It involves summing over all possible paths that the particle could take, taking into account the amplitude of each path.
Feynman's Sum Over Paths works by assigning an amplitude (represented by a complex number) to each possible path that a particle could take. These amplitudes are then summed together, and the resulting value is squared to give the probability of the particle's movement.
Feynman's Sum Over Paths is significant because it allows for a more accurate calculation of the probability of a particle's movement compared to classical mechanics. It takes into account the wave-like nature of particles and the possibility of multiple paths being taken simultaneously.
Feynman's Sum Over Paths was developed by American physicist Richard Feynman in the 1940s. It was a key component of his formulation of quantum electrodynamics, which earned him a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965.
Feynman's Sum Over Paths is used in various fields of physics, including quantum mechanics, quantum field theory, and particle physics. It is also used in other areas such as condensed matter physics, statistical mechanics, and cosmology. It has practical applications in the development of new technologies, such as quantum computing and quantum cryptography.