Time Energy Uncertainty Question

In summary, the conversation discusses a thought experiment involving two detectors, A and B, trying to detect system C. They both want to measure C at the same time, but depending on who measures first, the resulting state of C and the detectors may vary. The conversation also touches on the concept of time uncertainty and how the probability distribution of measurement outcomes is a property of the system, while the wave function is not necessarily real.
  • #1
awardr
4
0
I would appreciate if someone could help figure out this thought experiment:

Lets say I have two detectors named A and B.
They both want to detect system C.
For my naming convention I will say that C.B is the perturbed state of C after interacting with B

Ok so both A and B decide to measure C at around the same time. If A measures C first then C becomes C.A and A becomes A.C. The instant after that, B will still be able to interact with C (as opposed to C.B) because time is an uncertainty, so now what is C? C.A or C.B? And is B now B.C or B.C.A?
 
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  • #2
There is no time uncertainty. If you choose your inertial frame, then whoever measures first will collapse the wave function first, and whoever measures second will be measuring on the collapsed wave function. An example is given in http://arxiv.org/abs/1007.3977 where the order of measurements depends on the choice of inertial frame, but the predicted probabilities are frame-independent.
 
  • #3
if its dependent on choice of frame then how can it be a property of the system?
 
  • #4
The probability distribution of the results of the measurements is independent of the order and hence is a property of the system.
 
  • #5
awardr said:
if its dependent on choice of frame then how can it be a property of the system?

In quantum mechanics, only the measurement outcomes and the probabilities are real, partly because those are invariant events in the sense of classical special relativity. The wave function is not necessarily real, and is a tool for calculating the probabilities of measurement outcomes.
 
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What is the "Time Energy Uncertainty Question"?

The "Time Energy Uncertainty Question" is a concept in quantum mechanics that refers to the relationship between time and energy in a system. It states that the more accurately we know the energy of a system, the less accurately we can know the time at which that energy was measured.

Who first proposed the "Time Energy Uncertainty Question"?

The "Time Energy Uncertainty Question" was first proposed by German physicist Werner Heisenberg in 1927 as part of his uncertainty principle.

How does the "Time Energy Uncertainty Question" impact our understanding of the physical world?

The "Time Energy Uncertainty Question" challenges our traditional understanding of cause and effect in the physical world. It suggests that there are inherent uncertainties and limitations in our ability to measure and predict the behavior of particles at the quantum level.

Is the "Time Energy Uncertainty Question" widely accepted in the scientific community?

Yes, the "Time Energy Uncertainty Question" is a well-established concept in quantum mechanics and is widely accepted by the scientific community. It has been tested and confirmed through numerous experiments and is an essential component of our understanding of the quantum world.

How does the "Time Energy Uncertainty Question" relate to the famous Schrödinger's cat thought experiment?

The "Time Energy Uncertainty Question" is closely related to Schrödinger's cat thought experiment, which highlights the paradoxical nature of quantum mechanics. In this experiment, a cat is placed in a sealed box with a radioactive substance that has a 50% chance of decaying and killing the cat. According to the uncertainty principle, we cannot know if the cat is alive or dead until we open the box and observe it, leading to the idea of a cat existing in a superposition of both states. This thought experiment illustrates the implications of the "Time Energy Uncertainty Question" and the limits of our ability to predict the behavior of particles at the quantum level.

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