What are some(current) dead ends in quantum physics?

[eightsquare]

Classical mechanics has postulated a lot of things, and many of those postulates have been explained by quantum mechanics. But what are some of the postulates that haven't been explained?

 

[bhobba]

Some key theorems about how the classical world emerges from the quantum are yet to be proved. It is expected its of the crossing your t's and dotting you i's type stuff, but then again they thought that at the end of the 19th century about classical physics and that didn't turn out quite like that so one never knows.

You can find a bit more detail in Omnes book:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0691004358/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Thanks
Bill

 

[Zarqon]

There was also a paper just a couple of days ago, resulting from a meeting in Oxford where these issues were discussed. It clearly lists a some key open questions on the subject and you can find a version of it at ArXiv.

 

[eightsquare]

Thanks guys.

 

[sardar]

One current dead end in quantum physics is the measurement problem, which deals with the fundamental question of how a quantum system collapses into a definite state when measured. This problem challenges the traditional understanding of cause and effect and raises questions about the nature of reality.

Another dead end is the concept of wave-particle duality, which suggests that particles can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior. While this has been experimentally confirmed, there is still no clear explanation for why this duality exists and how it can be reconciled with classical physics.

Additionally, the concept of entanglement, where two particles can become connected and affect each other's properties even when separated by large distances, remains a mystery in terms of its underlying mechanisms and implications for our understanding of space and time.

Furthermore, the search for a unified theory that can reconcile quantum mechanics with general relativity has been a longstanding challenge in the field. While progress has been made, a complete and comprehensive theory that can explain all aspects of the universe at both the microscopic and macroscopic levels has yet to be achieved.

Overall, while quantum mechanics has made significant advancements in our understanding of the universe, there are still many unanswered questions and postulates that have yet to be fully explained. These dead ends serve as exciting challenges for scientists to continue pushing the boundaries of our knowledge and further unravel the mysteries of the quantum world.