A wave packet coalescing into a point-like particle when it hits the screen, yes that's about as close to common sense understandability as it can get. Makes one realize the wave aspect of particles is a hard fact.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-slit_experiment Michel ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2007 3:58 AM Subject: Re: [Vo]: Energy *Violations* using *standard* physics > OrionWorks wrote: > >> From: Michel Jullian > >> > >> Indeed the double slit experiment with only one single photon or > >> electron traversing the experiment at a time is an awesome proof > >> of the shortcomings of our common sense (mine in any case)! Can > >> anyone _really_ make sense of why they form interference > >> patterns? I mean, the QM equations will yield those patterns all > >> right, but does QM itself make common sense? > >> > >> Michel > > > > The only logical explanation my brain can make out of the paradoxical > double > > slit experiment is the notion that what we perceive, and more importantly > > MEASURE, as "particles" are perhaps not really ISOLATED pinpoints > > of –matter- after all. > > > > The only rational explanation I can comprehend is that what we define as > > ISOLATED pin-points of "matter" are most likely waves of EM energy > that have > > coalesced or configured themselves into patterns that our measuring > devices, > > which reside in the macro world, interpret as "physical" particles. Of > > course, WE are the ones doing all the interpreting. It's as if there > is an > > almost desperate-like human tendency to fit as much bizzare QM > behavior into > > the more framiliar rules of the macro world, cuz that's the only > reality our > > brains can make any sense out of. And indeed, these highly > concentrated EM > > patterns may occasionally seem to take on the characteristics of "matter" > > which we human beings find so comforting. But to define these QM patterns > > (i.e. photons) as ISOLATED pin points of "matter" does not > necessarily mean > > it's the most accurate interpretation of what is really going on > under the > > hood. > > > > Oh dear, caught in the act of pontificating, once again. > > > > >From a strictly philosophical non-scientific POV it all seems to > come down > > to MAYA, the illusion of reality that we all seem to be so entranced > with. > > The sand box, after all, with all of its inherent granularity can > > occasionally be a fun place in which to build temporary sand castles in. > > > > Regards, > > Steven Vincent Johnson > > www.OrionWorks.com > > > > What's fascinating about double slit is its wave and particle duality. > The bar patterns demonstrate the electrons wave behavior, like a > wave-train or pulse. On the other hand there's just one collision on the > screen per electron. If the electron were merely a wave then it would > crash against the screen like an oceans wave. That's probably why it's > referred to as the collapse of the wave function in QM. > > > Regards, > Paul Lowrance >
