Keeping with my original purpose here, I want to continue talking about the nature of reality. In order to do that I think some basic understanding of quantum physics is needed, which is why I initially posted about the Wave-Particle duality of light - a fundamental discovery that hints or gives a glimpse of that nature. For myself, I was unsure of some of the assumptions I had made regarding wave-particle duality.
First to recap what has already been discussed, light is either a wave or a particle depending on whether it has been observed or not. Meaning if you are looking for a particle one will manifest, if you are not looking, only a wave will be present. See Light: Wave, Particle, or Both.
Regarding the double-slit experiment, I assumed that if a person were in the room while the so-called individual particles were being fired at the registering screen – no wave-interference pattern would manifest. If a person were not there, there would be no evidence of particle “hits” on the screen, only an ever-growing ring pattern would form – wave-interference.
I wanted to get some clarification on this matter so I turned to well known physicist Fred Alan Wolf, here is a little about him as stated in the Wikipedia:
Fred Alan Wolf (born December 3, 1934) is a theoretical physicist and writer on the subjects of quantum physics, consciousness, and their relationship, and has also authored of a number of popular works.
Wolf's fascination with physics began one afternoon as a child at a local matinée, when the newsreel revealed the awesome power and might of the world's first atomic explosion. Wolf received his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from UCLA in 1963 and began researching the field of high atmospheric particle behavior following a nuclear explosion.
Dr. Wolf has appeared as the resident physicist on the Discovery Channel program The Know Zone and on radio talk shows and television shows across the United States and abroad. Wolf also appeared in the films What the #$*! Do We Know!? (2004) and The Secret.
So I sent an email to Dr. Wolf regarding my assumption, here is his reply:
S. L. Strickland: I have created a blog on blogspot as a kind of layman's perspective on quantum physics - slanting toward observer created or influenced reality. I really love this stuff and wish I knew more. But I need to get some of my understanding correct so I don't post something that's inaccurate or down right wrong.
Regarding wave-particle duality and the double slit experiment. I need to know if I have this right. If you are firing one particle at a time you initially see a single strike for each particle hit on the screen (the ones that make it through), right?
Fred Alan Wolf: Yes, each particle makes a single spot.
S. L. Strickland: Eventually after a while you will find the interference pattern associated with the wave aspect of the particle/photon. Okay, in a post you mentioned that the instrument does not collapse the wave function, I assume only a conscious observer can do that then? So, if you are there the entire time watching this - does the wave interference ever show up?
Fred Alan Wolf: It depends on what you are trying to see. If you are watching a slit, and either you don't see the particle pass through a particular slit or you do see the particle pass through that slit, the interference pattern will disappear for only those particles you do or do not see accordingly. The resulting pattern will be a sum of dots: one pattern from one slit and one from the other without interference. However those particles that manage to pass through beyond detection (by this I mean a definite record of either no particle passed or a record that a particle passed recorded by your instrument) they will show the interference pattern. Hence it depends on your detecting an event or detecting a no-event for sure.
S. L. Strickland: I understand that a particle is not a particle until it is observed, else it is a wave or probability wave. See I could be way off base here, and it's bugging me to death.
Fred Alan Wolf: You have it correct. See above.
S. L. Strickland: I have seen pictures of the experiment showing the wave pattern, but it's made up of individual dots, which seem to indicate individual particles, if no one was there to watch, why are there individual dots - even though a ring pattern forms - if the particle does not manifest when not being observed?
Fred Alan Wolf: If no one observed how did you see the dots? You certainly saw them and so did the experimenter who recorded them. Once a massive record is made, the effect of the observer is negligible.
S. L. Strickland: Out of curiosity, how seriously is Hugh Everett's Many Worlds Theory being taken these days? I swear my gut instinct tells me that all possibilities manifest in other universes, I don't know why, but it feels right. Makes me wonder if you can actually experience your own death - or do you simply shunt off to the next reality when an accident happens here - you go to the next probable timeline and never know it happened. This is what I think about most all the time. I could go on about this stuff, but I'll give you a break.
Fred Alan Wolf: Very seriously, especially by those in the quantum computer research.
S. L. Strickland: I realize this is pretty elementary stuff for you compared to the questions you usually get.
Fred Alan Wolf: You should get a hold of Parallel Universes
and The Yoga of Time Travel for more.
S. L. Strickland: Thank you for taking the time to read this, I really appreciate your work and books.
Sincerely Shannon Strickland
(I am a guy - thanking my mom for the gender confusing name)
Okay, so that’s what I thought. I had seen a picture (see Light: Wave, Particle, or Both) where a pattern of individual dots was on a screen, but there was also a wave-interference pattern on the same screen, which had confused me a bit. If there was wave interference, then no dot pattern should be there – because no particle would be manifest. On the other hand is someone was watching, then only dots should be present with no interference pattern. What Dr. Wolf is saying I believe is you would see both if you are in the room, the dots for every particle you detected, and the interference pattern for those you did not detect. Makes perfect sense.
The implications for the nature of reality are astounding to me; we truly do form reality by our observation of it, on some level.
Dr. Wolf has a very interesting blog you should check out called the yoga of time travel.
More to come...
First to recap what has already been discussed, light is either a wave or a particle depending on whether it has been observed or not. Meaning if you are looking for a particle one will manifest, if you are not looking, only a wave will be present. See Light: Wave, Particle, or Both.
Regarding the double-slit experiment, I assumed that if a person were in the room while the so-called individual particles were being fired at the registering screen – no wave-interference pattern would manifest. If a person were not there, there would be no evidence of particle “hits” on the screen, only an ever-growing ring pattern would form – wave-interference.
I wanted to get some clarification on this matter so I turned to well known physicist Fred Alan Wolf, here is a little about him as stated in the Wikipedia:
Fred Alan Wolf (born December 3, 1934) is a theoretical physicist and writer on the subjects of quantum physics, consciousness, and their relationship, and has also authored of a number of popular works.
Wolf's fascination with physics began one afternoon as a child at a local matinée, when the newsreel revealed the awesome power and might of the world's first atomic explosion. Wolf received his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from UCLA in 1963 and began researching the field of high atmospheric particle behavior following a nuclear explosion.
Dr. Wolf has appeared as the resident physicist on the Discovery Channel program The Know Zone and on radio talk shows and television shows across the United States and abroad. Wolf also appeared in the films What the #$*! Do We Know!? (2004) and The Secret.
So I sent an email to Dr. Wolf regarding my assumption, here is his reply:
S. L. Strickland: I have created a blog on blogspot as a kind of layman's perspective on quantum physics - slanting toward observer created or influenced reality. I really love this stuff and wish I knew more. But I need to get some of my understanding correct so I don't post something that's inaccurate or down right wrong.
Regarding wave-particle duality and the double slit experiment. I need to know if I have this right. If you are firing one particle at a time you initially see a single strike for each particle hit on the screen (the ones that make it through), right?
Fred Alan Wolf: Yes, each particle makes a single spot.
S. L. Strickland: Eventually after a while you will find the interference pattern associated with the wave aspect of the particle/photon. Okay, in a post you mentioned that the instrument does not collapse the wave function, I assume only a conscious observer can do that then? So, if you are there the entire time watching this - does the wave interference ever show up?
Fred Alan Wolf: It depends on what you are trying to see. If you are watching a slit, and either you don't see the particle pass through a particular slit or you do see the particle pass through that slit, the interference pattern will disappear for only those particles you do or do not see accordingly. The resulting pattern will be a sum of dots: one pattern from one slit and one from the other without interference. However those particles that manage to pass through beyond detection (by this I mean a definite record of either no particle passed or a record that a particle passed recorded by your instrument) they will show the interference pattern. Hence it depends on your detecting an event or detecting a no-event for sure.
S. L. Strickland: I understand that a particle is not a particle until it is observed, else it is a wave or probability wave. See I could be way off base here, and it's bugging me to death.
Fred Alan Wolf: You have it correct. See above.
S. L. Strickland: I have seen pictures of the experiment showing the wave pattern, but it's made up of individual dots, which seem to indicate individual particles, if no one was there to watch, why are there individual dots - even though a ring pattern forms - if the particle does not manifest when not being observed?
Fred Alan Wolf: If no one observed how did you see the dots? You certainly saw them and so did the experimenter who recorded them. Once a massive record is made, the effect of the observer is negligible.
S. L. Strickland: Out of curiosity, how seriously is Hugh Everett's Many Worlds Theory being taken these days? I swear my gut instinct tells me that all possibilities manifest in other universes, I don't know why, but it feels right. Makes me wonder if you can actually experience your own death - or do you simply shunt off to the next reality when an accident happens here - you go to the next probable timeline and never know it happened. This is what I think about most all the time. I could go on about this stuff, but I'll give you a break.
Fred Alan Wolf: Very seriously, especially by those in the quantum computer research.
S. L. Strickland: I realize this is pretty elementary stuff for you compared to the questions you usually get.
Fred Alan Wolf: You should get a hold of Parallel Universes
and The Yoga of Time Travel for more.S. L. Strickland: Thank you for taking the time to read this, I really appreciate your work and books.
Sincerely Shannon Strickland
(I am a guy - thanking my mom for the gender confusing name)
Okay, so that’s what I thought. I had seen a picture (see Light: Wave, Particle, or Both) where a pattern of individual dots was on a screen, but there was also a wave-interference pattern on the same screen, which had confused me a bit. If there was wave interference, then no dot pattern should be there – because no particle would be manifest. On the other hand is someone was watching, then only dots should be present with no interference pattern. What Dr. Wolf is saying I believe is you would see both if you are in the room, the dots for every particle you detected, and the interference pattern for those you did not detect. Makes perfect sense.
The implications for the nature of reality are astounding to me; we truly do form reality by our observation of it, on some level.
Dr. Wolf has a very interesting blog you should check out called the yoga of time travel.
More to come...
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