Whether wave function collapse happens at all is an open question (different interpretations of quantum mechanics say different things on this topic).dsaun777 said:How small of a region of space does the wave function "collapse" into when measuring particles?
One example of equipment is photodetectors. But there are other types of equipment used, depending on what is studied. Examples of additional equipment: magnets, polarizers, waveplates etc.dsaun777 said:What types of equipment do physicists use to make all these quantum measurements that are used in books so frequently?
An observable is a physical quantity or property that can be measured or observed in an experiment. In the context of quantum mechanics, observables are represented by operators that act on the state of a system, allowing us to extract measurable information from it.
Observables are directly tied to measurements in that they represent the specific properties we can quantify during an experiment. When we make a measurement of an observable, we obtain a value that reflects the state of the system at that moment in time.
Common examples of observables include position, momentum, energy, and spin. Each of these properties can be measured experimentally, and their values provide crucial information about the behavior of physical systems.
In quantum mechanics, observables are fundamental because they determine the outcomes of measurements. The act of measuring an observable causes the wave function of a quantum system to collapse to a specific eigenstate, yielding a definite value for that observable.
While the concept of observables exists in both classical and quantum physics, they differ significantly in their treatment. In classical physics, observables can be measured simultaneously with arbitrary precision, whereas in quantum mechanics, the uncertainty principle imposes limits on the simultaneous measurement of certain pairs of observables, such as position and momentum.