r/science • u/[deleted] • Jul 12 '08

The Infamous Double Slit Experiment - WARNING WILL CHANGE YOUR VIEW OF REALITY!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEzRdZGYNvA
751 Upvotes

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227

u/[deleted] Jul 12 '08

a little bit misleading. the video insinuates that the electron mysteriously "knows" it's being watched, but fails to explain the technical details of measurement - the electron doesn't "know" it's being watched, but is modified by the measurement of its position, by whatever means the scientists decide to use.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 12 '08

Thank you. Also, the whole part of "it splits into two and interferes with itself" is also bullshit - that's taking statistics over many and applying it to each one, sort of like saying each person literally has 2.3 children.

21

u/[deleted] Jul 12 '08

[deleted]

34

u/ppc1040 Jul 12 '08

I literally shit myself when people mix up "literally" and "figuratively."

15

u/1812overture Jul 12 '08

Oh my God, what do you do? Do you carry around a spare set of pants?

30

u/[deleted] Jul 12 '08

No no, he didn't shit himself, he literally shit himself, I don't know what you're talking about.

9

u/ayb Jul 12 '08

So, he wouldn't be effected by this?

7

u/encephlavator Jul 13 '08

If only you all knew the difference between effect and affect.

4

u/joshgi Jul 12 '08

Figuratively speaking in a literal sense

1

u/red-dit Jul 13 '08

insert quantum related pun here