March 30, 2013

is wave function associatd with photon?

rahmat ali asked
 is wave function associatd with photon?

Answer:
The wave-function extend forever into all of space, the wave function is what REPRESENTS the probability of finding the particle in a set state at a set position at a set time, its a mathematical construct to describe how the universe works, a model if you will. The wave function squared is the probability so that a real number not imaginary, this has nothing to do with the space itself, exactly right about the difference the wave-function is a mathematical construct applied across space from which you can derive the probability of finding a particle. As for the wave travelling infinitely fast, in quantum mechanics particles can move faster than light but it is highly improbable due to uncertainty principle, however at long distances that would allow this the probability goes incredibly low.

 No I just believe the wave function to be a mathematical representation in that it is imaginary, it doesn't make the space it presides in imaginary or the underlying wave nature of its probability distribution any less real. As for it being unsatisfactory that I would argue is merely as you are used to large things in everyday life and the idea that things behave in such an exotic manner on the small scale goes against "common" sense. There is no reason that large scale observations should hold on a small scale. I believe the mistake comes from thinking about the fundamental particles as particles, when they are unobserved they are probability distributions and only when observed (say by a photon) do they collapse to a particle view whilst being observed.

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