Richard Feynman the farther of Quantum Electrodynamics believed Thomson’s double slit experiment provided a mechanism for understanding the wave particle duality of energy/mass because it clearly demonstrates their inseparability.
The wave–particle duality postulates that all particles exhibit both wave and particle properties. A central concept of quantum mechanics, this duality addresses the inability of classical concepts like "particle" and "wave" to fully describe the behavior of quantum-scale objects. Standard interpretations of quantum mechanics explain this paradox as a fundamental property of the Universe, while alternative interpretations explain the duality as an emergent, second-order consequence of various limitations of the observer.
However it may be possible to understand it in classical terms if one assumes the universe is composed of four *spatial* dimensions instead of four dimensional space time.
(The reason will become obvious later)
The double slit experiment is made up of "A coherent source of photons illuminating a screen after passing through a thin plate with two parallel slits cut in it. The wave nature of light causes the light waves passing through both slits to interfere, creating an interference pattern of bright and dark bands on the screen. However, at the screen, the light is always found to be absorbed as discrete particles, called photons.
When only one slit is open, the pattern on the screen is a diffraction pattern however, when both slits are open, the pattern is similar but with much more detailed. These facts were elucidated by Thomas Young in a paper entitled "Experiments and Calculations Relative to Physical Optics," published in 1803. To a very high degree of success, these results could be explained by the method of Huygens–Fresnel principle that is based on the hypothesis that light consists of waves propagated through some medium. However, discovery of the photoelectric effect made it necessary to go beyond classical physics and take the quantum nature of light into account.
However the most baffling part of this experiment comes when only one photon at a time impacts a barrier with two opened slits because an interference pattern forms which is similar to what it was when multiple photons were impacting the barrier. This is a clear implication the particle called a photon has a wave component, which simultaneously passes through both slits and interferes with itself. (The experiment works with electrons, atoms, and even some molecules too.)"
Yet as mentioned earlier one can derive the fact that a photon exhibits both the characteristics of a particle and wave in terms of classical concepts by transposing or converting the space-time geometry of relativity to one of four *spatial* dimensions and the spatial properties quantum mechanics associates with its energy.
Einstein gave us the ability to do this when he used he used the velocity of light to defined the geometric properties of space-time because it allows one to convert a unit of time in his space-time universe to a unit of space in an environment consisting four *spatial* dimensions. Additionally because the velocity of light is constant it is possible to defined a one to one correspondence between his space-time universe and one made up of four *spatial* dimensions.
In other words by mathematically defining the geometric properties of a space-time universe in terms of the constant velocity of light he provided a qualitative and quantitative means of redefining his space-time universe in terms of the geometry of four *spatial* dimensions.
The fact that one can use Einstein’s equations to qualitatively and qualitatively redefine the curvature in space-time he associated with energy in terms of four *spatial* dimensions is one bases of assuming as was done in the article “Defining energy?†Nov 27, 2007 that all forms of energy can be derived in terms of a spatial displacement in a "surface" of a three-dimensional space manifold with respect to a fourth *spatial* dimension.
However it also allows one to understand the wave particle duality of photon and all other particles as is demonstrated in Thomson’s double slit experiment in terms of the concepts of classical physics.
For example the article, "Why is energy/mass quantized?" Oct. 4, 2007 showed that one can use the concept developed in the article “Defining energy?†to explain and understand the physicality of the wave properties of all particles including a photon by extrapolating the laws of classical resonance in a three dimensional environment to a matter wave moving on “surface†of a three dimensional space manifold with respect to a fourth *spatial* dimension. It also explains why all energy must be quantized or exists in these discrete resonant systems when observed.
Briefly it showed the four conditions required for resonance to occur in a classical environment, an object, or substance with a natural frequency, a forcing function at the same frequency as the natural frequency, the lack of a damping frequency and the ability for the substance to oscillate spatial would occur in a matter wave moving in four *spatial* dimensions.
The existence of four *spatial* dimensions would give a matter wave the ability to oscillate spatially on a "surface" between a third and fourth *spatial* dimensions thereby fulfilling one of the requirements for classical resonance to occur.
These oscillations would be caused by an event such as the decay of a subatomic particle or the shifting of an electron in an atomic orbital. This would force the "surface" of a three-dimensional space manifold with respect to a fourth *spatial* dimension to oscillate with the frequency associated with the energy of that event.
However, the oscillations caused by such an event would serve as forcing function allowing a resonant system or "structure" to be established in four spatial dimensions.
As was shown in that article these resonant systems in four *spatial* dimensions are responsible for its quantum mechanical properties.
Additionally it also tells us why in terms of the physical properties four dimensional space-time or four *spatial* dimensions an electron cannot fall into the nucleus is because, as was shown in that article all energy is contained in four dimensional resonant systems. In other words the energy released by an electron "falling" into it would have to manifest itself in terms of a resonate system. Since the fundamental or lowest frequency available for a stable resonate system in either four dimensional space-time or four spatial dimension corresponds to the energy of an electron it becomes one of the fundamental energy units of the universe.
However, it does not explain how the boundaries of a particle’s resonant structure are defined.
In classical physics, a point on the two-dimensional surface of paper is confined to that surface. However, that surface can oscillate up or down with respect to three-dimensional space.
Similarly an object occupying a volume of three-dimensional space would be confined to it however, it could, similar to the surface of the paper oscillate "up" or "down" with respect to a fourth *spatial* dimension.
The confinement of the "upward" and "downward" oscillations of a three-dimension volume with respect to a fourth *spatial* dimension is what defines the geometric spatial boundaries of the resonant system associated with a particle in the article "Why is energy/mass quantized?"
This provides the ability to understand, in classical terms the inseparability of the wave-particle duality of energy/mass that is demonstrated in Thomson’s double slit experiment is because clearly demonstrates how the one is dependent on the other.
Briefly it shows the reason why the interference patterns remains when one photon at a time is fired at the barrier with both slits open or "the most baffling part of this experiment" is because, as mentioned earlier it is made up of a resonant system or "structure" therefore it occupies an extended volume which is directly related to the wavelength of its particle system.
This means a portion of a particles energy could simultaneously pass both slits, if the diameter of its volume exceeds the separation of the slits and recombine on the other side to generate an interference pattern.
It also explains why the interference pattern disappears,when a detector is added to determine which slit a photon has passed through. The energy required to measure which one of the two slits its energy passes through interacts with it causing the wavelength of that portion to change so that it will not have the same resonant characteristics as one that passed through the other slit Therefore, the energy passing thought that slit will not be able to interact, in most cases with the energy passing through the other one to form an interference pattern on the screen.
It also defines in classical terms the reason, why the measurements of energy/mass takes the form particles and not waves in Thomson’s double slit experiment
As mentioned earlier, the article "Why is energy/mass quantized?" showed energy must be propagated through space in quantized resonant systems if one applies the concept of classical mechanics to a matter wave on "surface" of a three-dimension space. Therefore, because its energy must be propagated through space to be observed the energy impacting the screen will have the discrete non-wavelike characteristics of a particle.
Richard Feynman the farther of Quantum Electrodynamics or "OED" realized the significance of this experiment because it demonstrates the inseparability of the wave and particle properties of particles and felt a complete understanding of quantum mechanics could be gleaned from carefully thinking through its implications.
The above article demonstrates why.
It shows the quantum mechanical particle and wave properties of energy/mass displayed in the double slit experiment can be understood if one assumes they are made up of a resonant system in a moving on a "surface" of a three-dimensional space manifold with respect to a fourth *spatial* dimension.
Latter Jeff
Copyright Jeffrey O’Callaghan 2013