Is Wave-Particle Duality Really Real? An Analysis of the Double Slit Experiment

[Dmitry67]

This is yet another good example while CI (and other collapse interpetations) do more harm then good.

I understand that there are no experimental data that can favor say BM over MWI or vice versa, but after the discovery of Quanrtum Decoherence the 'wavefunction collapse' should follow the 'either', 'Phlogiston' et catera

 

[mintparasol]

Thanks again to everyone, this thread has really helped my understanding.

I have some more questions, I hope you don't mind!

:- If I conduct the double slit experiment by firing one photon at a time, do I find that every now and again, a photon is 'blocked' by the dark part of the slitted screen or do all the photons always find a way thru the slits to the detector screen?

:- Is there any relationship between the frequency/wavelength of light emitted by a particular atom and the physical size/circumference of said atom?

:- I'd be grateful if someone could spend the time explaining exactly how the protons are generated and focussed down the tube in the double slit experiment. Also, to help refresh my memory of how photons are emitted from atoms in the first place. I understand it's to do with the excitement of atom-bound electrons and that the electron emits a photon as it 'jumps' from one state to another but could do with a refresher course!

Thanks again,
ad

Anyone?

 

[DrChinese]

Thanks again to everyone, this thread has really helped my understanding.

I have some more questions, I hope you don't mind!

:- 1. If I conduct the double slit experiment by firing one photon at a time, do I find that every now and again, a photon is 'blocked' by the dark part of the slitted screen or do all the photons always find a way thru the slits to the detector screen?

:- 2. Is there any relationship between the frequency/wavelength of light emitted by a particular atom and the physical size/circumference of said atom?

:- 3. I'd be grateful if someone could spend the time explaining exactly how the photons are generated and focussed down the tube in the double slit experiment. Also, to help refresh my memory of how photons are emitted from atoms in the first place. I understand it's to do with the excitement of atom-bound electrons and that the electron emits a photon as it 'jumps' from one state to another but could do with a refresher course!

Thanks again,
ad

1. Yes, that happens frequently.

2. "Size" of an atom has nothing to do with it. When a electron drops from one shell to another, a photon of a specific frequency is emitted and that frequency is a function of the energy difference between the shells.

3. You can use a variety of sources to get the double slit effect. The usual requirement is that the light be coherent, and a laser produces such light. Coherent light is light in which the waves are - in basic terms - lined up so that there is constructive interference but no destructive interference between photons. (So the peaks are at the same points...)

 

[mintparasol]

1. Yes, that happens frequently.

2. "Size" of an atom has nothing to do with it. When a electron drops from one shell to another, a photon of a specific frequency is emitted and that frequency is a function of the energy difference between the shells.

3. You can use a variety of sources to get the double slit effect. The usual requirement is that the light be coherent, and a laser produces such light. Coherent light is light in which the waves are - in basic terms - lined up so that there is constructive interference but no destructive interference between photons. (So the peaks are at the same points...)

Thanks,
I had a strong 'vision' of what's going on with duality the night before last, hence the questions.

I've no doubt that this vision is flawed due to incomplete understanding of the processes so I'll keep my mouth shut for fear of ridicule but will ask another question:-

Is the energy difference between the shells a function of the radial distance of the shells from the nucleus of the atom?

 

[mintparasol]

Is the energy difference between the shells a function of the radial distance of the shells from the nucleus of the atom?

Anyone?

 

[Frame Dragger]

Anyone?

The further from the nucleas of the atom, the faster and more energetic you get, so, yes. I don't know the exact numerical relationship, and I suspect it varies by atom, and how many electrons can 'occupy' each shell.

 

[Dmitry67]

The most interesting example is the 21cm Hydrogen radiation
How tiny the hydrogen atom is. And it emits 21cm wave!

 

[Frame Dragger]

The most interesting example is the 21cm Hydrogen radiation
How tiny the hydrogen atom is. And it emits 21cm wave!

Gotcha lol, well said.

 

[housefull]

Thanks!The reason is that interactions with the environment (the air) changes the statistical properties of the molecules, as more and more information about the paths taken can (in principle) be inferred by performing measurements on the state of the air. This proves that "wavefunction collapse" isn't a sudden and discontinuous physical process, and that "wave-particle duality" isn't about the system being either a wave or a particle. Apparently it's a little bit of both. For more information about this, see a book or a review article about decoherence.

__________________
Watch The Wolfman Online Free

 

[jtbell]

Is the energy difference between the shells a function of the radial distance of the shells from the nucleus of the atom?

The shells are "smeared out" so you can't really think of them as having a definite distance from the nucleus. See these graphs of the radial probability distributions for hydrogen:

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hydwf.html#c1

In multi-electron atoms, things get messier.

 

[mintparasol]

The further from the nucleas of the atom, the faster and more energetic you get, so, yes. I don't know the exact numerical relationship, and I suspect it varies by atom, and how many electrons can 'occupy' each shell.

The most interesting example is the 21cm Hydrogen radiation
How tiny the hydrogen atom is. And it emits 21cm wave!

The shells are "smeared out" so you can't really think of them as having a definite distance from the nucleus. See these graphs of the radial probability distributions for hydrogen:

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hydwf.html#c1

In multi-electron atoms, things get messier.

There goes my 'vision', ha!