- #1
Astralos
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How does Feynman "Sum Over Histories" make sense?
Hi. I am new to Quantum Physics and this forum as well. I was reading The Grand Design, by Stephen Hawking, and came upon the "Alternative Histories" theory in Quantum Mechanics.
My questions are:
1.) How is it possible that a particle can assume a superposition, such that it takes all paths simultaneously? How can something be in two places at once?
2.) What does it mean by "all paths"? Are there an infinite number of paths? If a particle is to go from point A to point B, a distance defined as 1.0 meters, would one of its possible paths involve going around Jupiter twice, coming back, circling the Earth one million times, and then landing at point B? What determines the possible paths? If there are an infinite possible number of them, then my assertion about Jupiter should be correct.
3.) Can you please explain the theory in simple terms? And then give an example?
4.) If this theory is correct, does that mean that the universe has no definite history, but experienced all histories?
Please answer at least one of the four questions. Thank you so much for your help. This is really intriguing me.
Hi. I am new to Quantum Physics and this forum as well. I was reading The Grand Design, by Stephen Hawking, and came upon the "Alternative Histories" theory in Quantum Mechanics.
My questions are:
1.) How is it possible that a particle can assume a superposition, such that it takes all paths simultaneously? How can something be in two places at once?
2.) What does it mean by "all paths"? Are there an infinite number of paths? If a particle is to go from point A to point B, a distance defined as 1.0 meters, would one of its possible paths involve going around Jupiter twice, coming back, circling the Earth one million times, and then landing at point B? What determines the possible paths? If there are an infinite possible number of them, then my assertion about Jupiter should be correct.
3.) Can you please explain the theory in simple terms? And then give an example?
4.) If this theory is correct, does that mean that the universe has no definite history, but experienced all histories?
Please answer at least one of the four questions. Thank you so much for your help. This is really intriguing me.