Double Slit Expirement

[Artythizza]

I don't know if there has been an explanation for the Double Slit Experiment, but are there any theories as to why when it was observed it went back to being a particle pattern instead of a wave pattern? (note: I haven't done a lot of research on it, I've read a little and watched a few videos. I apologize if I'm not getting the concept correctly)

 

Here's a link that helped me understand it the best: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu57B1v0SzI

[IM Egdall]

I don't know if there has been an explanation for the Double Slit Experiment, but are there any theories as to why when it was observed it went back to being a particle pattern instead of a wave pattern? (note: I haven't done a lot of research on it, I've read a little and watched a few videos. I apologize if I'm not getting the concept correctly)

 

Here's a link that helped me understand it the best: http://www.youtube.c...h?v=tu57B1v0SzI

 

Here is a (simplified) explanation from quantum field theory (as my simple mind understands it):

 

A particle travels like a wave and hits (is detected) like a particle. Take a single electron in the double-slit experiment for example. The electron gun emits the electron as a wave, which spreads out so that it goes through both slits. This produces a wave at slit one and another at slit two (similar to if you put a water wave through two slits).

 

The two waves from the single electron then interfere with each other. But once this interfering wave reaches the detector screen, the electron shows up at a single location on the detector screen.

 

Where exactly on the screen does a single electron show up? Nobody knows. Nature doesn't know. We can only predict the probability of the electron being detected at a certain location. You see, the electron wave is a probability wave (called the wave function). It tells us how likely the electron is to be detected at a certain location.

 

When the electron gun shoots a number of identical probabilty waves at the double-slit, over time an interference pattern builds up on the detector screen. This is exactly what these probability wave predicts. So we can't tell where a single electron is detected, but can predict where a very large number of electrons will end up. It is statistical.

 

So what happens when we "look" to see which slit the electron went through? Say we find the electron passes through slit one. This means the probability of find the electron at slit one is 100% and the probability of it being at slit two is zero. So the electron's probability wave has collapsed to 100% at slit one sand zero at slit two.

 

So now we have only a single probability wave coming from slit one to the detector screen. So there is no interference.

 

Very strange, but this is how nature works. And quantum field theory's predictions are in superb agreement with experiments.

 

I found the simluation below helpful - Quantum Wave Interference:

 

 

http://phet.colorado...ve-interference

Edited October 24, 2011 by IM Egdall

[questionposter]

In short, the real nature of matter is like a ripple in a pond, not a marble. I'ts simply a wave, and one of the properties of waves is oscillation. Just like in a pond, some of the water goes below the normal level and above the normal level, only so far the only things we can come up with for "above" and "below" the fabric of space are matter's own substance or existence, or some kind of extra dimensional phasing.

Edited October 25, 2011 by questionposter