Physical properties of a particle in Bohmian mechanics

In summary, according to these sources, particles in de Broglie-Bohm theory have their physical properties spread out over the wavefunction, rather than localized at the position of the particle. This difference may be responsible for the difference between how we usually detect particles and how particles are supposed to behave in Bohmian mechanics.
  • #1
Nickyv2423
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Are the physical properties of a particle spread out through the wave function in bohmian mechanics?
This is from wikipedia
"Also, unlike in classical mechanics, physical properties (e.g., mass, charge) are spread out over the wavefunction in de Broglie–Bohm theory, not localized at the position of the particle.[9][10]"
If this is true, then how come we always detect particle properties as points?
 
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  • #2
Nickyv2423 said:
Are the physical properties of a particle spread out through the wave function in bohmian mechanics?

I don't think this question has a well-defined meaning.

Nickyv2423 said:
This is from wikipedia

What article? Please give a link. Also, Wikipedia is not a good source by itself, particularly for a subject like this; you need to look at a textbook or peer-reviewed paper (and the Wikipedia article might give references to these).

Nickyv2423 said:
how come we always detect particle properties as points?

We don't. First, a particle's properties, like mass or charge, aren't the same as the particle itself. Second, we never actually detect a particle at a precise point; the best we can do is to detect it within some small region of space.
 
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  • #3
Nickyv2423 said:
"Also, unlike in classical mechanics, physical properties (e.g., mass, charge) are spread out over the wavefunction in de Broglie–Bohm theory, not localized at the position of the particle.[9][10]"
That's true.

Nickyv2423 said:
If this is true, then how come we always detect particle properties as points?
Because we detect positions, not charges and masses. Have you ever seen the mass of your body? No, but you have seen the position of the needle on your weight scale, as in this picture
https://livehealthyosu.com/2011/08/25/dairy-plus-or-minus/weight-scale/
 
  • #4
Demystifier said:
That's true.Because we detect positions, not charges and masses. Have you ever seen the mass of your body? No, but you have seen the position of the needle on your weight scale, as in this picture
https://livehealthyosu.com/2011/08/25/dairy-plus-or-minus/weight-scale/
But what about bubble chambers and cloud chambers? Don't they shows charged particles as point charges with no charge spread out?
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/electron-spherical-electric-dipole-moment/
When we measure electrons we see them as point charges with a cloud of photons around them, its like a sphere.
I don't think we would get these results if particles in bohmian mechanics had their charge spread out at all times, right?
 
  • #5
Nickyv2423 said:
But what about bubble chambers and cloud chambers? Don't they shows charged particles as point charges with no charge spread out?
They do not - they show a succession of single-point position measurements. If you google for "Mott Problem" you will find much good stuff including Sir Nevill Mott's 1929 paper which substantially resolved the quantum mechanical treatment of cloud and bubble chambers.

(As you might infer from the date, the appearance of tracks in cloud and bubble chambers was a problem for collapse interpretations as well as the Bohmian mechanics of this thread - the initial wavefunction is spherically symmetrical, so where does this linear track come from?)
 

1. What is Bohmian mechanics?

Bohmian mechanics, also known as pilot-wave theory, is a framework for understanding the behavior of quantum particles. It was developed by physicist David Bohm as an alternative to the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics.

2. What are the physical properties of a particle in Bohmian mechanics?

In Bohmian mechanics, particles have two main physical properties: position and momentum. These properties are determined by the particle's guiding wave, which is influenced by the particle's environment and other nearby particles.

3. How do the physical properties of a particle in Bohmian mechanics differ from those in classical mechanics?

In classical mechanics, particles have well-defined positions and momenta at all times. However, in Bohmian mechanics, particles have a non-local and contextual position and momentum, meaning they are influenced by their surroundings in a non-deterministic way.

4. Can the physical properties of a particle in Bohmian mechanics be measured?

Yes, the physical properties of a particle in Bohmian mechanics can be measured through experiments. However, the results may not always match the predictions of classical mechanics due to the non-local and contextual nature of the particle's properties.

5. What implications do the physical properties of a particle in Bohmian mechanics have on our understanding of the quantum world?

The physical properties of particles in Bohmian mechanics challenge the traditional interpretation of quantum mechanics and suggest that particles may have a more deterministic behavior than previously thought. This has implications for our understanding of causality and the nature of reality at the quantum level.

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