Posted: Sun 15 Nov 2009 8:26 Post subject: A question
I stumbled across quantum theory on wikipedia and I found it interesting, so I read it, and looked on youtube for it. Now, I have a question.
In quantum theory, it's stated that there's a certain inaccuracy in measuring something (something like "If you know it's speed, you can't know it's position" and vice versa)
In the above video this effect is used to explain the nuclear fusion in the sun.
My question is: If you can't accurately measure something, does this also mean this isn't accurately THERE (It's kind of hard to put into words, watch the video)
I mean, in the video about quantum tunneling the inaccuracy is linked to 'teleporting' particles, but now knowing the details about something is different than it's REAL location being inaccurate (If you can't measure something's speed/location, that doesn't mean it's not at a specific location/speed)
Sorry if I've confused you, but this is kind of hard to put into words.
So dude, that means that there is a 1-trillion-billion-very large number to 1 chance that at any given moment, I could suddenly fall through my couch...
Wow.
Of course this probably has the same chance of happening as I would winning the lottery...one million times. _________________ I would love to have you on MSN, send me a PM with your IM account. Or not, if your that kind of person.
Joined: 19 Nov 2008 Posts: 1709 Location: Minot, ND
Posted: Sun 15 Nov 2009 11:20 Post subject:
Molecules and atoms are in constant motion, nothing is still. So your house, really isn't there, your bed, really isn't there, they're constantly in motion and I think the odds of somehow falling through the couch of floor is even more remote than winning the lottery a million times. Try Trillions of times. _________________ I am trapped between heaven and hell. My wings carry me upon the winds. Above lies heaven, below hell. Yet I must land in hell to soar in heaven. I am a Dragon!
Joined: 16 Feb 2005 Posts: 394 Location: Drowning in the landlocked sea of humanity.
Posted: Sun 15 Nov 2009 11:55 Post subject:
Ah, quantum physics. If you think you understand quantum physics, then you don't understand quantum physics. I love this stuff. I'll... I'll say more when I get the chance, I have to take a shower now, and go to a museum, and et cetera. :3
But the odds of somehow falling through the couch or floor is actually not quantum physics, just so you know. Just a law of probability. A stone statue can wave at you, because every atom in it is moving chaotically, but the odds that it will are extremely low because every atom has to move the same way at the same time and then back and forth. The longer it's waving, the less likely it becomes. It's math and it's a very, very big number to one that it will happen. :3 _________________ Happy Fourth of July everybody! The funniest thing about this signature is that I wrote it on the fourth of July, 2010, and it's probably going to be here for several months.
Anyways, there is a quote I heard a long time ago that explains Quantum Physics.
Quote:
The fundamental law of Quantum Physics is that anything can happen at any time, for no apparent reason.
You can thank Futurama for that one. _________________ I would love to have you on MSN, send me a PM with your IM account. Or not, if your that kind of person.
Ahh, Physics is totally in my ally, as I currently study it.
CB wrote:
I said a very large number...
That's not a large number. A large number would be 90!^90! (Yes, ! means faculty in this one.)
On topic though:
Quantum physics isn't that difficult to understand, what's a pain is deducing it. The math is so mind bogglingly complex, I won't even pretend I can explain it here in layman's terms. (Heck, I can't even reproduce it on my own without some kind of help. )
Anyway, quantum tunneling is effect related to the probability of an atom (or subatomic particle) being somewhere. The higher the energy, the more likely it becomes it's somewhere else, or the higher the uncertainty becomes. We can calculate this uncertainty. This phenomenon has practical applications as well, for instance, the TEM or Tunneling Electron Microscope is build on this principle. The thinner the material is that's being scanned, the more electrons there will be passing through it.
The thing about being able to either calculate the speed, or the position is called the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.
I could provide more detailed information for those who are interested, but I'd have to look it up in my books again.
I don't know and understand quantum physics, I stumbled across a couple of videos and the wikipedia articles and read some of it and I just didn't understand this part.
Let me rephrase it: I don't understand how particles can go THROUGH something.
Quote:
The higher the energy, the more likely it becomes it's somewhere else, or the higher the uncertainty becomes
"The more likely it becomes it's somewhere else" This part.
Does quantum tunneling actually mean the location of those particles isn't unmeasurable because of mathematical reasons but because the particle is teleporting around all the time?
Well, to better understand tunneling, you first have to know that it's part of quantum wave mechanics, meaning that particles can be described using the Schrödinger wave equation.
Quote:
Let me rephrase it: I don't understand how particles can go THROUGH something.
Tunneling literally means that a particle goes through a potential barrier of some sort (like other matter for example.) While doing this, it loses energy, so when you translate it to classical mechanics, the chance that it can go through an (almost) infinite potential or "thick" barrier approaches zero. So I guess, that yes, the particle "appears" on the other side. (The particle loses energy, mind you!)
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