Why do measurements prefer eigenstates of the observable?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter intervoxel
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Eigenstate
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
1 reply · 1K views
intervoxel
Messages
192
Reaction score
1
If any superposition of quantum states is stable, why the preference for one of the eigenstates of the observable at the measurement? What is the attraction of such state?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
intervoxel said:
If any superposition of quantum states is stable, why the preference for one of the eigenstates of the observable at the measurement? What is the attraction of such state?
It's a postulate of quantum mechanics. As with any postulate (test this with Euclid's postulates), you aren't going to get very far asking why it works; the only answer is that that's how the universe we live in works.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: intervoxel