Information and successive measurments

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In summary: In this case, we gained less information from the second measurement than we lost from the first measurement. In summary, it is possible for the new information gained from a measurement to be less than the information lost from a previous measurement, as seen in the case of non-commuting observables A and B.
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Higgsono
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Suppose you measure the spin of an electron along some axis, we get the result +1 with probability 0.5 and -1 with probability 0.5. The average information we receive is 1 bit of information. Now if we rotate our apparatus 90 degrees and make a new measurement, we will as before get the value +1 with probability 0.5 and -1 with probability 0.5. But now we lost the information about the spin along the direction of our first measurement. We lost 1 bit of information but gain 1 new bit of information.

So, I have a question: Does there exist a pair of noncommuting observables A,B such that if we measure A first and gain some amount of information ##I_{A}## and then make a measurement of B and gain some information ##I_{B}##. Is is possible that the new information we gained is less then the information we lose from our previous measurement. That is is it possible that ##I_{B} - I_{A} < 0##
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Yes, it is possible. Consider a two-dimensional system with the two non-commuting observables A and B. Suppose that A has eigenvalues a1 and a2, with corresponding probabilities of p1 and p2, and B has eigenvalues b1 and b2, with probabilities q1 and q2. Then if we measure A first, the average information gained is I_A = -p1log(p1) - p2log(p2). If we then measure B, the average information gained is I_B = -q1log(q1) - q2log(q2). It is possible that the difference between I_B and I_A is negative, i.e., that I_B - I_A < 0. For example, consider a system with A having eigenvalues a1 and a2 with probabilities p1 = 0.5 and p2 = 0.5, and B having eigenvalues b1 and b2 with probabilities q1 = 0.7 and q2 = 0.3. Then I_A = 1 bit and I_B = 0.88 bits, so I_B - I_A = -0.12 bits.
 

1. What is information?

Information is a concept that refers to the knowledge or data that is communicated or received. It can be in the form of facts, statistics, or even ideas, and can be transmitted through various means such as language, symbols, or technology.

2. How is information measured?

Information can be measured in terms of its quantity, quality, or value. In science, information is often measured using units such as bits, bytes, or megabytes, which indicate the amount of data that is being transmitted or stored.

3. What is the relationship between information and successive measurements?

The concept of successive measurements refers to the process of taking multiple measurements over a period of time in order to understand a system or phenomenon. Information is essential in this process as it allows scientists to analyze and interpret the data collected from these measurements.

4. How is information used in scientific research?

Information plays a crucial role in scientific research as it allows scientists to collect, analyze, and share data. It also enables them to make informed decisions and draw conclusions about their research findings.

5. How does the accuracy of successive measurements affect the quality of information?

The accuracy of successive measurements directly impacts the quality of information obtained. The more precise and accurate the measurements are, the more reliable and valuable the information will be for scientific research and understanding of a particular concept or phenomenon.

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