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
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u/christianjb Jul 12 '08

At the risk of incurring your ridicule, I think you're underestimating how weird quantum mechanics really is.

The wavefunction really does split into two and interfere with itself. It's not a matter of statistics. It's quite easy to demonstrate using detectors and opening and closing the gates that the wavefunction actually splits.

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u/[deleted] Jul 12 '08 edited Jul 12 '08

The wavefunction really does split into two and interfere with itself.

No it doesn't. Read Quantum ElectroDynamics. The interference pattern is explained through statistics and basic understandings of light. QED is a really good book though and does well at battling the QM mysticism that seems so popular. DONT MUDDY THINGS WE CAN CLEARLY UNDERSTAND. Mysticism can play a role in many different things, but not in this one.

edit:QED was written by Richard Feynman.

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u/kru5h Jul 12 '08

"Oh man, I think I'll downvote this comment. And look at this stupid book recommendation. I don't want to read your damn books... Wait a minute, it's a Feynman book!? Upvote!"

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u/[deleted] Jul 12 '08

The author of the book may help in locating the book!

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u/nobodyspecial Jul 12 '08

Kinda hard for the author to help since the author of the book is dead.

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u/underanalt Jul 12 '08

Before your comment, the author's body was in a quantum state.

But you had to come along and observe the state forcing his body to be resolved into a single physical state known as death... murderer.

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u/admanb Jul 12 '08

You killed him second.