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Related papers: Why the wave function, of all things?

200 papers

Is the wave function a physical reality traveling through our apparatus? Is it a real wave, or it is only a mathematical tool for calculating probabilities of results of measurements? Different interpretations of the quantum mechanics (QM)…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2022-10-10 Sofia Wechsler

All the concepts and principles necessary to understand quantum mechanics on an initial level are given in a form suitable for the non-expert. The concepts explained include visualizing the wave function, wave-particle duality, the…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2010-01-19 Casey Blood

The underlying physics of quantum mechanics has been discussed for decades without an agreed resolution to many questions. The measurement problem, wave function collapse and entangled states are mired in complexity and the difficulty of…

General Physics · Physics 2019-10-23 R. A. Street

The conceptual problems in quantum mechanics -- related to the collapse of the wave function, the particle-wave duality, the meaning of measurement -- arise from the need to ascribe particle character to the wave function. As will be shown,…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2009-10-30 Michael Danos , Tien D Kieu

The connection between the problem of scattering a particle on a one-dimensional $\delta$-potential with the "Einstein's boxes" thought experiment is shown. In both cases, the validity of the superposition principle is limited by Einstein's…

General Physics · Physics 2021-10-25 N. L. Chuprikov

The wave function in quantum mechanics presents an interesting challenge to our understanding of the physical world. In this paper, I show that the wave function can be understood as four intrinsic relations on physical space. My account…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2018-10-17 Eddy Keming Chen

The interaction between two parts in a compound quantum system may be reconsidered more completely than before and some new understandings and conclusions different from current quantum mechanics are obtained, including the conservation law…

General Physics · Physics 2010-11-03 Tian-Hai Zeng

An overview of the conceptuality interpretation of quantum mechanics is presented, along with an explanation of how it sheds light on key quantum and relativistic phenomena. In particular, we show how the interpretation clarifies…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2025-12-17 Diederik Aerts , Massimiliano Sassoli de Bianchi , Sandro Sozzo

The development of the new logic of partitions (= equivalence relations) dual to the usual Boolean logic of subsets, and its quantitative version as the new logical theory of information provide the basic mathematical concepts to describe…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2018-12-27 David Ellerman

I address the problem of explaining why wave functions for identical particles must be either symmetric or antisymmetric (the symmetry dichotomy) within two interpretations of quantum mechanics which include particles following definite…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2017-01-16 Charles Sebens

We present a new interpretation of the terms superposition, entanglement, and measurement that appear in quantum mechanics. We hypothesize that the structure of the wave function for a quantum system at the sub-Planck scale has a…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2009-08-10 Rajendra K Bera , Vikram Menon

Aiming at providing an objective picture for the collapse process of wave function during measurement, further analysis about the quantum discontinuous motion is presented, when considering general relativity we show that the new motion is…

General Physics · Physics 2007-05-23 Gao Shan

I argue that there is a straightforward way to understand the occurrence of wavefunction collapses or 'quantum events' in relational approaches to quantum mechanics: we necessarily encounter a discontinuity in our description when a system…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2026-04-15 Emily Adlam

We address the issue of the interpretation of quantum mechanics by asking why the issue never arises in the description of high-energy interactions. We argue that several tenets of quantum mechanics, specifically the collapse of the wave…

History and Philosophy of Physics · Physics 2013-10-02 Stefano Forte

Quantum mechanics is an outstandingly successful description of nature, underpinning fields from biology through chemistry to physics. At its heart is the quantum wavefunction, the central tool for describing quantum systems. Yet it is…

Why does such a successful theory like Quantum Mechanics have so many mysteries? The history of this theory is replete with dubious interpretations and controversies, and yet a knowledge of its predictions, however, contributed to the…

The early history of the development of Quantum Mechanics is surveyed to discern the arguments leading to the introduction of the notions of `irreal' wave functions and `nonlocal' correlations. It is argued that the assumption that Quantum…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2007-05-23 A. F. Kracklauer

The probabilistic prediction of quantum theory is mystery. I solved the mystery by a geometrical interpretation of a wave function. This suggests the unification between quantum theory and the theory of relativity. This suggests Many-Worlds…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2007-05-23 K. Sugiyama

Quantum mechanics, one of the most successful theories in the history of science, was created to account for physical systems not describable by classical physics. Though it is consistent with all experiments conducted thus far, many of its…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2016-02-17 Gary Oas , J. Acacio de Barros

Quantum theory's irreducible empirical core is a probability calculus. While it presupposes the events to which (and on the basis of which) it serves to assign probabilities, and therefore cannot account for their occurrence, it has to be…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2014-11-03 Ulrich Mohrhoff