Probabilities in Quantum Mechanics

StevieTNZ
Messages
1,934
Reaction score
873
Hi there,

The average expected result for particles with 1/2 probability going through slit 1 and 1/2 probabiltiy going through 2, for a large number of particles (N) is exactly that: 1/2 slit 1, 1/2 slit 2.

We send the large number of particles through and find that roughly half go through slit 1 and half go through slit 2. But we further send another N number of particles through.

When these sort of predictions get verified, do a further N number of particles get sent through and the statistics stay roughly the same as the first N lot of particles? Is that how the average is verified?

Because couldn't you get different probabilities if you send a further N number of particles through and they deviate away from 1/2 slit 1, 1/2 slit 2?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Is it that after a finite N number of trials, the probabilities predicted are more-or-less met, and with the law of large numbers, any further trials will still conform to the predicted statistics?
 
Insights auto threads is broken atm, so I'm manually creating these for new Insight articles. Towards the end of the first lecture for the Qiskit Global Summer School 2025, Foundations of Quantum Mechanics, Olivia Lanes (Global Lead, Content and Education IBM) stated... Source: https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/quantum-entanglement-is-a-kinematic-fact-not-a-dynamical-effect/ by @RUTA
If we release an electron around a positively charged sphere, the initial state of electron is a linear combination of Hydrogen-like states. According to quantum mechanics, evolution of time would not change this initial state because the potential is time independent. However, classically we expect the electron to collide with the sphere. So, it seems that the quantum and classics predict different behaviours!

Similar threads

Back
Top