dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaCan a falling tree make a noise in two forests at the same time?
| Authors | Aephraim M. Steinberg |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/9710046 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9710046 |
Abstract
It is a commonplace to claim that quantum mechanics supports the old idea that a tree falling in a forest makes no sound unless there is a listener present. In fact, this conclusion is far from obvious. Furthermore, if a tunnelling particle is observed in the barrier region, it collapses to a state in which it is no longer tunnelling. Does this imply that while tunnelling, the particle can not have any physical effects? I argue that this is not the case, and moreover, speculate that it may be possible for a particle to have effects on two spacelike separate apparatuses simultaneously. I discuss the measurable consequences of such a feat, and speculate about possible statistical tests which could distinguish this view of quantum mechanics from a ``corpuscular'' one. Brief remarks are made about an experiment underway at Toronto to investigate these issues.
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"abstract": "It is a commonplace to claim that quantum mechanics supports the old idea\nthat a tree falling in a forest makes no sound unless there is a listener\npresent. In fact, this conclusion is far from obvious. Furthermore, if a\ntunnelling particle is observed in the barrier region, it collapses to a state\nin which it is no longer tunnelling. Does this imply that while tunnelling, the\nparticle can not have any physical effects? I argue that this is not the case,\nand moreover, speculate that it may be possible for a particle to have effects\non two spacelike separate apparatuses simultaneously. I discuss the measurable\nconsequences of such a feat, and speculate about possible statistical tests\nwhich could distinguish this view of quantum mechanics from a ``corpuscular\u0027\u0027\none. Brief remarks are made about an experiment underway at Toronto to\ninvestigate these issues.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/9710046",
"authors": [
"Aephraim M. Steinberg"
],
"categories": [
"quant-ph",
"physics.atom-ph"
],
"title": "Can a falling tree make a noise in two forests at the same time?",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9710046"
},
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