Particle Probability Waves...

[RyanJ]

Hi everyone!

 

I was recently reading a book called "The fabric of the cosmos" and it has quite a lot of things in there and one of them was thae idea that particles only have an absolute position when viewed otherwise they are thougtht to exist as a probability wave, the particle has x probability of being here and y probability of being there.

 

If this is correct, would it be possible to manupulate the probability wave on any level? if you could then in theory you could make a sort of matter transporter my altering the probaility wave of all the constituents and thus making it certain that they exist in one poinet over another.

 

That make any sence to anyone? I would not think you could alter the probability waves in any way shape or form but Id just like to see what you guys think

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[Xyph]

What you describe seems to be Quantum Teleportation, which has already, in fact, been done (although only with isolated particles, so I'm not sure if the quantum teleportation of something macroscopic would ever be feasible). Someone will probably show up with a more detailed explanation eventually, but for now, as far as I understand it (which is not very much) it seems to involve using a "carrier particle" of some sort to carry the state of one particle to another, which then starts to mimic the properties of the original.

[timo]

It makes sense but you are thinking too science fictional, I´m afraid. Yes, it is possible to manipulate the probabilities where a particle is. It´s absolutely easy:

In front of me, there´s a cup of coffee. The possibility that the molecules of the coffee are in the cup is almost 100%. But if I drink the coffee they will most probably be in my stomach. I altered the probability of the coffee´s molecules position. In fact, I even transported matter.

But all I´ll possibly win with it is a sleepless night because I shouldn´t drink coffee this late in the evening.

[RyanJ]

It makes sense but you are thinking too science fictional, I´m afraid. Yes, it is possible to manipulate the probabilities where a particle is. It´s absolutely easy. In front of me, there´s a cup of coffee. The possibility that the molecules of the coffee are in the cup is almost 100%. But if I drink the coffee they will most probably be in my stomach. I altered the probability of the coffee´s molecules position. In fact, I even transported matter. But all I´ll possibly win with it is a sleepless night because I shouldn´t drink coffee this late in the evening.

 

Quite true - never thought of it that way!

 

But I actually meant moving the particle(s) without avtually moving them in the way you did with the coffee cup Something like moving a coffeecup accross the galazy without going there is what I was getting at.

 

One thing, even if there were a posibility it could be done (Even if not with our current technology level) - working out a co-ordinated way of altering a probability wave is something I can't even start to think about!

 

@Xyph - very interesting, never heared something even remotly simmilar had been done!

[swansont]

What you describe seems to be Quantum Teleportation, which has already, in fact, been done (although only with isolated particles, so I'm not sure if the quantum teleportation of something macroscopic would ever be feasible). Someone will probably show up with a more detailed explanation eventually, but for now, as far as I understand it (which is not very much) it seems to involve using a "carrier particle" of some sort to carry the state of one particle to another, which then starts to mimic the properties of the original.

 

There are multiple threads on the topic. Note that matter itself is not transported, it was information about the state of a particle.