Undergrad Simultaneous measurements of 1 observable

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SUMMARY

In quantum mechanics, simultaneous measurements of a single observable are not possible due to the fundamental principles governing quantum systems. According to Sakurai, when a measurement is performed, the system collapses into one of the eigenstates of the observable. This implies that if two measurements were attempted simultaneously, the eigenvalues would not be equal, as the act of measurement alters the state of the system. The discussion highlights that unlike macroscopic objects, such as cars, electrons cannot be measured independently without affecting their state.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of quantum mechanics principles
  • Familiarity with eigenstates and eigenvalues
  • Knowledge of measurement theory in quantum mechanics
  • Basic concepts of photon-electron interactions
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the implications of the observer effect in quantum mechanics
  • Learn about the role of measurement in quantum systems
  • Explore the concept of wave function collapse
  • Investigate the differences between classical and quantum measurements
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This discussion is beneficial for undergraduate physics students, quantum mechanics enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the foundational aspects of measurement theory in quantum physics.

Ghost Quartz
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some doubts about the measurement of observables
Hi. I'm new to the forum and and I am currently studying quantum mechanics.
According Sakurai, page 24, "When the measurement is performed, the system is" thrown into" one of eigenstates of observable". This raised some questions for me:

Is possible two measurements simultaneous of one observable?
If yes, then will the eigenvalue be equal in both measurements? if they will be the equal, why will they be the equal?

If not, then why not? I do not remember it well, but I believe I have heard somewhere that it is impossible for two photons to interact simultaneously with an electron. Is there any relation?

i am not a graduate student in physics, then I don't know the correct level of this thread. When in doubt I put A, sorry for this.
 
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Ghost Quartz said:
i am not a graduate student in physics, then I don't know the correct level of this thread. When in doubt I put A, sorry for this.
”I” for general college level is about right, and it’s no problem - just a few mouse clicks to change, probably the most common edit I make.
 
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Ghost Quartz said:
According Sakurai, page 24, "When the measurement is performed, the system is" thrown into" one of eigenstates of observable". This raised some questions for me:

Is possible two measurements simultaneous of one observable?
If you think of QM as describing nature at an elementary level, then it's not possible. Two observers can independently and simultaneously measure the velocity and position of a car, for example, because the car can be bombarded by light from all directions without significantly changing its position or momentum.

You can't do that to a electron. The position measurement of an electron must be deduced indirectly by the scattering of a single photon, say. That's a whole different game.

The role of measurement in QM is subtle and somewhat problematic. For the time being, I would assume that a system in QM is subject to one measurement at a time.
 
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