On Tuesday, June 5, 2018 at 1:18:29 AM UTC, Bruce wrote: > > From: <agrays...@gmail.com <javascript:>> > > > Remember that the analysis I have given above is schematic, representing > the general progression of unitary evolution. It is not specific to any > particular case, or any particular number of possible outcomes for the > experiment. > > Bruce > > *OK. For economy we can write, ** (|+>|e+> + |->|e->), where e stands > for the entire universe other than the particle whose spin is being > measured. What is the status of the interference between the terms in this > superposition? For a quantum superposition to make sense, there must be > interference between the terms in the sum. At least that's my understanding > of the quantum principle of superposition. But the universe excluding the > particle being measured seems to have no definable wave length; hence, I > don't see that this superposition makes any sense in how superposition is > applied. Would appreciate your input on this issue. TIA, AG* > > > A superposition is just a sum of vectors in Hilbert space. If these > vectors are orthogonal there is no interference between them. >
*As a graduate student, in one of those standard problems, I seem to recall solving for the wf of some system using the SWE, and then expanding the solution using an orthonormal set of eigenfunctions as the basis (or maybe it was claimed there exists such an expansion). Are you saying there is no interference between the basis eigenvectors? TIA, AG* Your quest for a wavelength in every superposition is the wrong way to look > at things. Macroscopic objects have vanishingly small deBroglie > wavelengths, but the can still be represented as vectors in a HIlbert > space, so can still form superpositions. I think you are looking for > absolute classicality in quantum phenomena -- that is impossible, by > definition. > > Bruce > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to everything-list@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/everything-list. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
