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Quantum Mechanics and Relativity. What is your idea about this?
In quantum mechanics' interpretation of world, a particle's knowable variables has infinite values before it is observed. But when an observer observes the particle, all it's variables collapse to a single set of variables. The reason we know it had infinitely many set of values before measurement is because if we observe same particle in same conditions but in different moment of time, we observe a different set of values.
If I am right up till here, let me proceed further.
Now it is very much discussed that the above fact put forward by QM ends the free-will debate because the future of a particle could adopt one out of infinitely many possibilities. This means, my future is in my hand and in a sense, I for myself can choose one possibility out of infinite of them existing in my future. i.e. after 10 years from now, it is absolutely NOT certain where I will be standing on this planet. And unless those 10 years pass away, I can not know it.
So think about it. Today, there are infinite possibilities of positions where I can be 10 years later in future. Out of all those infinite possibilities, I actually adopt one, after the passage of given 10 years - very much like an electron in quantum mechanical universe. In other words, today, I have not observed my future so I don't know what future has for me and so there are infinite possibilities. But when time passes by, I observe only one set of events.
Now in Einstein's relativity, through time-dilation, I can kind of skip my present and go into future. In order to dilate my time, I need to perform certain experiment on myself like orbiting reasonably close to a black hole etc. This experiment will drop me in future, let's say in 2023 and let's say when I land in future, I find that my family has moved to Japan and so I had to go to Japan cuz this country (in 2013) is no more for me. But from the perspective of 2013, I could be anywhere on this earth in the year 2013. However, when I performed the time-dilation experiment, I found myself compulsorily in Japan. Now why did I find myself only in Japan and not in Turkey despite the fact that I could be there with an equal probability?
This is because the relativistic experiment of time-dilation collapsed my wave function to one outcome - Japan. So we can say that Special Theory of Relativity is actually describing method of acts of observation of time-line associated with a particle. This time-line is equivalent to the wave function associated with particle and which also collapses (choosing one among infinite possible outcomes) when we try to observe it using relativistic effects.
Therefore, this is why we can study relativity using quantum mechanical approach. And if whatever I have said till now is true, then it is very possible that the outcome of time-dilation experiment will change depending on WHEN I did it. That is, if I did the time-dilation experiment in 2013, I found myself in Japan in 2023. But let's say if I did the experiment an year later, I would have found that the events have so taken place that my family moved to Madagascar or moved nowhere at all. This is very similar to observing an electron in one moment in time and in another thus giving two different results. So time-dilation as described by relativity is just a way of choosing one of the infinite possible time-lines associated with me.
Can this thought be the beginning when quantum mechanics meets relativity? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Sorry for the wall of text.
2 Answers
- Anonymous8 years agoFavorite Answer
"The reason we know it had infinitely many set of values before measurement is because if we observe same particle in same conditions but in different moment of time, we observe a different set of values."
It had NO values, since "impressing a value" embeds the quantum particle in the Universe. Like stamping a number 55 on a passing car...
"Now in Einstein's relativity, through time-dilation, I can kind of skip my present and go into future."
NO, you pass through every instant in between. You only change the "number of seconds" between start and finish. You "skip over" nothing, just because you look away, or it happens too fast for you to make sense of it.
"Now why did I find myself only in Japan and not in Turkey despite the fact that I could be there with an equal probability?"
NOT an equal probability, since you sought out your family.
"And if whatever I have said till now is true,"
It isn't.
"So time-dilation as described by relativity is just a way of choosing one of the infinite possible time-lines associated with me."
No. It is merely being used to confuse you. There is no benefit, or means of control, from applying it. Since you do not yet understand quantum mechanics, it would be best if you left out relativity.
"Can this thought be the beginning when quantum mechanics meets relativity?"
Absolutely not. Consider:
- quantum mechanics averages over (integrates) all the Universe, so that it has only a finite local effect. So quantum mechanics complete ignores the classical realm of the macroscopic
- relativity averages over all quantum effects, and ignores what goes on there, to arrive at a differentiable and therefore integrable, spacetime... to describe the Universe displayed.
They make the simplifications they do, because it is the only way they can get to solutions in finite time. They are built on physical / process models that makes sense in that specific realm.
Imagine trying to calculate the gravitational attraction for each atom in two each 1 mole lumps of carbon... when we don't even have a quantum theory of gravity! Quantum mechanics has no spacetime (neither space nor time), no mass, and of course no gravity. And had we that basic stuff, it would take supercomputers decades to calculate out for every atom.
- Anonymous5 years ago
RE: Quantum Mechanics vs. Relativity? I even have recently reread "a short historic past of Time" by ability of Stephen Hawking and interior the e book, he states that quantum mechanics and relativity are contradictory to one yet another and for this reason can't the two be maximum marvelous. I comprehend that at present physics lacks a unified thought that includes the two yet in...