How Does MWI Interpret Simultaneous Quantum Measurements?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the interpretation of simultaneous quantum measurements within the framework of the Many-Worlds Interpretation (MWI) of quantum mechanics. Participants explore the implications of measuring two independent quantum states and how these measurements affect the branching of worlds in the multiverse.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes two independent quantum states and questions the outcome of simultaneous measurements, suggesting uncertainty about the status of the second state during the measurement of the first.
  • Another participant asserts that the combined state of the multiverse before measurement is a tensor product of the two states, leading to four distinct branches after measurement.
  • A later reply reiterates the calculation of the combined state and expresses confusion regarding how the outcomes of one measurement relate to the other, specifically questioning the independence of the measurements.
  • Another participant clarifies that the outcomes of the measurements are not dependent on each other, emphasizing that the concept of a "world" encompasses both measurements together.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relationship between the measurements and the resulting branches of the multiverse. There is no consensus on how the outcomes of the measurements interact or are perceived within the framework of MWI.

Contextual Notes

Participants discuss the implications of tensor products and the independence of measurements, but there are unresolved questions regarding the nature of the outcomes and their interdependencies.

Abdullah Naeem
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Suppose there are two independent experiments taking place \left\vert \Phi\right\rangle =\alpha _{1}\left\vert \phi _{1}\right\rangle +\beta_{1}\left\vert \phi _{2}\right\rangle and \left\vert \Psi \right\rangle=\alpha _{2}\left\vert \psi _{1}\right\rangle +\beta _{2}\left\vert \psi_{2}\right\rangle. According to MWI, when \left\vert \Phi \right\rangle is measured, there are two "branches" of the world, one for each \left\vert\phi _{i}\right\rangle. Similarly, for \left\vert \Psi \right\rangle. My question is, what happens when a measurement for each \left\vert \Phi\right\rangle and \left\vert \Psi \right\rangle takes place simultaneously? As I see it, there are two worlds, one for each \left\vert \Phi \right\rangle but for these worlds but in these worlds, what happens to \left\vert \Psi \right\rangle? Is it that, in these two worlds, \left\vert \Psi \right\rangle has not taken place?
 
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In this case the full state of the "multiverse" is ##\left\vert \Phi\right\rangle\left\vert \Psi \right\rangle##. If you do the multiplication explicitly, you will see that it contains 2x2=4 branches (4 "worlds").
 
Demystifier said:
In this case the full state of the "multiverse" is ##\left\vert \Phi\right\rangle\left\vert \Psi \right\rangle##. If you do the multiplication explicitly, you will see that it contains 2x2=4 branches (4 "worlds").

Thank you for your reply.
So the state of the world before measurement is \left\vert \Phi<br /> \right\rangle \left\vert \Psi \right\rangle =\alpha _{1}\alpha<br /> _{2}\left\vert \phi _{1}\psi _{1}\right\rangle +\alpha _{1}\beta<br /> _{2}\left\vert \phi _{2}\psi _{1}\right\rangle +\beta _{1}\alpha<br /> _{2}\left\vert \phi _{1}\psi _{2}\right\rangle +\beta _{1}\beta<br /> _{2}\left\vert \phi _{2}\psi _{2}\right\rangle. Four possibilities, right.
So, according to MWI, there will be four branches. I think my confusion
comes in the tensor product. I am thinking of two machines, \Phi and <br /> \Psi, each of which will enter two worlds. For the first machine \Phi,
the outcomes are either \left\vert \phi _{1}\right\rangle \left( \alpha<br /> _{2}\left\vert \psi _{1}\right\rangle +\beta _{2}\left\vert \psi<br /> _{2}\right\rangle \right) or \left\vert \phi _{2}\right\rangle \left(<br /> \alpha _{2}\left\vert \psi _{1}\right\rangle +\beta _{2}\left\vert \psi<br /> _{2}\right\rangle \right). How does it know that the other outcome is
either \left\vert \psi _{1}\right\rangle or \left\vert \psi<br /> _{2}\right\rangle?
 
The first machine does not know that the second machine must have one of the two outcomes. But the "world" consists of both machines together. If you are interested in only one machine, then you cannot call it a "world".
 

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