What if Planck Constant is Zero? Effects in Quantum Explored

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the hypothetical implications of the Planck constant being zero on quantum mechanics, including its effects on uncertainty principles, wave functions, and the transition from quantum to classical behavior. Participants examine various theoretical consequences and interpretations related to this scenario.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that if the Planck constant is zero, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle would also be zero, allowing for exact knowledge of either momentum or position of a particle.
  • Others argue that if the Planck constant is zero, both momentum and position could be known simultaneously.
  • It is proposed that all quantum behavior would transition to classical behavior, with energy becoming continuous and momentum being exactly zero.
  • One participant notes that if the Planck constant is zero, the deBroglie wavelength associated with particles would also become zero, leading to a breakdown of quantization.
  • Another participant challenges the idea that the wave equation would take a trivial solution, suggesting that applying the limit of the Planck constant being zero in a specific way could yield classical equations.
  • There is a discussion about whether the original post refers to the Planck constant approaching zero or being exactly zero, with some clarifying that the latter is the focus.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of a zero Planck constant, with no consensus reached on the exact nature of those implications or the validity of specific claims made.

Contextual Notes

Some statements rely on assumptions about the nature of quantum mechanics and the implications of setting the Planck constant to zero, which may not be universally accepted or resolved within the discussion.

fricke
Messages
38
Reaction score
3
What is the effect in quantum if Planck constant is zero?

Here are some points that I could think of:
if Planck constant is zero, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principles will become zero, therefore either momentum or position of a particle can be known exactly.

if Planck constant is zero, both momentum and position can be known simultaneously.

if Planck constant is zero, all quantum behavior will become classical behavior, where energy will become continuous, momentum will become zero (which means it is known exactly) and etc.

So, are my points correct? and please do tell if there are other points for "if Planck constant is zero".
Thank you.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
fricke said:
if Planck constant is zero, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principles will become zero, therefore either momentum or position of a particle can be known exactly.
Either momentum or position can be known exactly even if the Planck constant is not zero.

fricke said:
if Planck constant is zero, both momentum and position can be known simultaneously.

if Planck constant is zero, all quantum behavior will become classical behavior, where energy will become continuous, momentum will become zero (which means it is known exactly) and etc.
Those two statements are correct.
 
Demystifier said:
Either momentum or position can be known exactly even if the Planck constant is not zero.
Hmm, so, if Planck constant is zero means that there is no uncertainty in both momentum and position, right? Does it mean if either one of momentum or position can be known exactly, therefore the other one is not known exactly?
 
fricke said:
Hmm, so, if Planck constant is zero means that there is no uncertainty in both momentum and position, right? Does it mean if either one of momentum or position can be known exactly, therefore the other one is not known exactly?
Note the bolded "not" in my sentence that you quoted.
 
Demystifier said:
Note the bolded "not" in my sentence that you quoted.
Yes, I noted that.
I was asking the understanding of if the Planck constant is zero. :)
 
fricke said:
Hmm, so, if Planck constant is zero means that there is no uncertainty in both momentum and position, right? Does it mean if either one of momentum or position can be known exactly, therefore the other one is not known exactly?
If h=0, then both momentum and position can simultaneously be known exactly.
 
The idea of quantization of most physical quantities breaks down if ##h=0## ; the deBroglie wavelength associated with any particle becomes 0, the canonical commutation relation becomes ##[x,p] = 0## (the commutation of the position and momentum operators removes the "weird" effects in QM, and reduction to classical mechanics follows), and the wave equation of any particle takes the trivial and non-renormalizable solution of ##Ψ (r,t) =0 ## (there is no wave equation for any particle if h=0; this of course agrees with the fact that the deBroglie wavelength becomes 0). From this, you can also derive the fact that the Heisenberg 'uncertainty' vanishes.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Fran_G
PWiz said:
the wave equation of any particle takes the trivial and non-renormalizable solution of Ψ(r,t)=0

That is actually not quite true. If the limit h=0 is applied in the appropriate way, the complex Schrödinger equation reduces to two decoupled real classical equations. One of them is the classical Hamilton-Jacobi equation, which is a wave equation for a classical particle. The other is the continuity equation, which can be interpreted in terms of classical statistical mechanics.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: thiagoseniuk
  • #10
Demystifier said:
If the limit h=0 is applied in the appropriate way
I don't think the OP is talking about a limit. As I read it, the OP is asking what would happen if ##h## assumed the exact value of 0, not what would happen if it tended to 0. If ##h=0## , then the terms ##iħ \frac {∂Ψ}{∂t}## and ##\frac {-ħ^2}{2m} ∇^2## (in the Hamiltonian) will drop out, and in that case, Schrödinger's (time-dependent) wave equation would become ##V Ψ (r,t) = 0## , which can only be true for any potential function if ##Ψ (r,t) = 0 ## for all r and t.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Fran_G and Derek Potter

Similar threads

  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
2K
  • · Replies 36 ·
2
Replies
36
Views
9K
  • · Replies 32 ·
2
Replies
32
Views
4K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K