A Conversation for Ask h2g2
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Australian teleport breakthrough
26199 Posted Jun 25, 2002
Well - strictly speaking.
Hmm. Would it be fair to say that not all observed behaviour can be explained by calling them particles...but it can be explained by calling them wave packets carrying quantised energy?
Australian teleport breakthrough
Captain_SpankMunki [Keeper & Former ACE] Thanking <Diety of choice> for the joy of Goo. Posted Jun 25, 2002
Ooooh Ooooh Young's double slit experiment! For those not familiar with physics this is not a pioneering female/female luvn.
Liam.
Australian teleport breakthrough
Orcus Posted Jun 25, 2002
You can Call them what you want but what Markin said still stands 
Australian teleport breakthrough
Bogie Posted Jun 25, 2002
With regards to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle... the teleporter in Star Trek had a "Heisenberg Compensator" to solve the problem of knowing the direction and position of every atom. They snuck that device into a later episode of TNG when some theoretical Physicist visited the set during filming.
B.
Please note I am not a Star Trek fanatic!!! 
Australian teleport breakthrough
Orcus Posted Jun 25, 2002
Yes, a famous quote
"How does the Heisenberg compensator work?"
"Very well thankyou"
Marjin (sorry I spelt it wrong above) said that the entities called elctrons, fundamental particles etc. can be represented as mathematical models that fit either a wave or a particle depending on the experiment you are performing.
What they are in fact is neither and they are not 'wavicles' either. One of the things anyone who has ever studied quatum theory and (at least semi-) understood it will know is that it is utterly pointless to try and visualise what these things are. They are not really visualisable and just because we label them 'particle' or 'wave' does not mean that that is what they are.
Australian teleport breakthrough
26199 Posted Jun 25, 2002
Ah - but is there actually anything wrong with the wave packet representation?
i.e. anything it fails to explain?
Australian teleport breakthrough
Orcus Posted Jun 25, 2002
Yes, but please don't ask me to explain I studied it the best part of 10 years ago 
- the wave packet idea is always stamped on quite strongly I'm afraid - sorry 
Australian teleport breakthrough
Orcus Posted Jun 25, 2002
I think basically you'll find that the maths doesn't work
Australian teleport breakthrough
26199 Posted Jun 25, 2002
Fair enough
We didn't go into too much depth on quantum mechanics/wave equations, and being a computer scientist I don't have to know any physics from now on, so all I have now is a passing interest in the topic
Australian teleport breakthrough
Orcus Posted Jun 25, 2002
Nothing wrong with that
I think it was Richard Feynman who said that there was probably only three or four people in the world at anyone time that really *understand* quantum theory so I guess that's all us proles can ever really do anyway 
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Australian teleport breakthrough
- 21: 26199 (Jun 25, 2002)
- 22: Captain_SpankMunki [Keeper & Former ACE] Thanking <Diety of choice> for the joy of Goo. (Jun 25, 2002)
- 23: Orcus (Jun 25, 2002)
- 24: 26199 (Jun 25, 2002)
- 25: Bogie (Jun 25, 2002)
- 26: Orcus (Jun 25, 2002)
- 27: 26199 (Jun 25, 2002)
- 28: Orcus (Jun 25, 2002)
- 29: Orcus (Jun 25, 2002)
- 30: 26199 (Jun 25, 2002)
- 31: Orcus (Jun 25, 2002)
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