Undergrad Quantum spaces without classical counterparts?

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The discussion centers on the existence of finite-dimensional quantum spaces that lack classical counterparts in mechanics. Participants explore examples such as the spin of an electron in a magnetic field, which is identified as a two-state quantum system without a classical equivalent. The conversation also touches on classical Hamiltonian models for particles with spin, noting that these models transition into quantum representations upon quantization. The effects of strong magnetic fields on energy eigenvalues are debated, with questions raised about their classical interpretation. Ultimately, the dialogue highlights the complexity of relating quantum phenomena to classical mechanics.
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Hi to all members! From few days that I am thinking on this question: there are finite-dimensional spaces that are quantum spaces (models for QM) but without the classical counterpart in classical mechanics ? For example I know that entanglement have not a ''clearly'' classical counterpart ... but I ask for an example in finite dimension ...
I was thinking about the sphere with spin but it is not a good example because we have a quantization (not a quantization in term of rigorous geometric quantization but in term of deformation quantization ...) and the sphere is a Kahler manifold so a model for classical mechanics ... I have the suspect that the aswer is no because with the projectivization we can always pass from quantum world to the classical world in the finite dimensional case ... but I am not sure...

Thanks,
Ssnow
 
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The spin of an electron in a magnetic field can be seen as a two-state quantum system without a classical counterpart. The energy eigenvalues of the spin up and spin down states differ more when the magnetic field is stronger.
 
@hilbert2 thanks for your example!
Ssnow
 
hilbert2 said:
The spin of an electron in a magnetic field can be seen as a two-state quantum system without a classical counterpart.
Classical Hamiltonian models for particles with spin are known for a long time. Their phase space is the Poisson manifold defined by suitable coadjoint orbits of the Poincare group. These are parameterized for positive mass by two continuous parameters, mass and spin.

Upon quantization, the Poisson manifolds turn into unitary representations, and the spin parameter becomes discrete - in a similar way as angular momentum for the rotation group in place of the Poincare group.
 
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In fact the example of a charge in the magnetic field has been also treated in Guillemin Sternberg in ''Symplectic thecniques in physics'' in a classical way, so I am agree with @A. Neumaier ... on the other side @hilbert2 has reason on the effects of a strong magnetic field on the eigenvalues, this must be interpreted classically, how ? Ssnow
 
Ssnow said:
on the other side @hilbert2 has reason on the effects of a strong magnetic field on the eigenvalues, this must be interpreted classically, how ? Ssnow
It is a quantum effect, so why should it have a classical interpretation?
 
Time reversal invariant Hamiltonians must satisfy ##[H,\Theta]=0## where ##\Theta## is time reversal operator. However, in some texts (for example see Many-body Quantum Theory in Condensed Matter Physics an introduction, HENRIK BRUUS and KARSTEN FLENSBERG, Corrected version: 14 January 2016, section 7.1.4) the time reversal invariant condition is introduced as ##H=H^*##. How these two conditions are identical?

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