Many scientists assume that we must define the “realty” or non-reality of our classical world based on the concepts defined by quantum mechanics.
For example the Copenhagen interpretation tells us that a particle is spread out as a wave over the entire universe and only appears in a specific place when a conscience observer looks at it. Therefore it assumes the act of measurement or observation creates its physical reality and that of the universe. However because only conscience human beings can be observers it implies that nothing can exist without them being there to observe them.
Not only is it a bit self centered for humans to assume that they (humans) are the sole arbiters of the physicality of the universe but it is also shows how out of touch with reality those who believe in it are for the simple fact that the is overwhelming scientific evidence that humans physically evolved over a finite period of time. However, if one assumes that atoms exist only after being observed by a human one must also assume that humans evolved out of something that did not exist.
However one of the reasons many scientist believe this is because they feel it is the only way to resolve the physical conflicts they find between the experimental observations of the microscopic realm of the atom and the “reality” we see in our macroscopic universe.
For example quantum mechanics assumes that all energy/mass is encapsulated in what is called a wave function which collapses into the reality most of us associate with our particle world only when it is observed.
However as Greene, Brian points out in his book “The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality” (Kindle Locations 3750-3752).
“No one has been able to explain how an experimenter making a measurement (observation) cause a wavefunction to collapse? In fact, does wavefunction collapse really happen, and if it does, what really goes on at the microscopic level? Do any and all measurements cause collapse?
The name give to the inability to define what happens to the wave properties of energy/mass when a measurement or observation is made is called the measurement problem and has given rise to different interpretations of quantum mechanics. Many of these interoperations assume that Schrödinger wave function defines an atom in terms of the linear superposition of its particle and wave states even though actual measurements always find the physical system in a definite state. Additionally experiments tell us that any future evolution must be based on the state the system was discovered to be in when the measurement was made and not on its history, meaning that the measurement “did something” to the process under examination. Many believe whatever that “something” may be does cannot be explained in terms of classical theories.
However, it can be shown that one can explain and understand the “something” that happens when a measurement of the wave function is made by extrapolating the theoretical concepts of classical mechanics in a three-dimensional environment to a fourth *spatial* dimension.
In the article “A classical Schrödinger’s wave equation” Mar. 15, 2010 it was shown one can derive the physical reality of the quantum mechanical properties of energy/mass associated with Schrödinger’s wavefunction by extrapolating observations of classical three-dimensional space to a fourth *spatial* dimension.
Briefly it showed the four conditions required for resonance to occur in a three-dimensional 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 one made up of four.
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* dimension 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 on a “surface” of a three-dimensional space manifold.
Yet classical theories of three-dimensional space tell us the energy of resonant systems can only take on the discontinuous or discreet energies associated with the fundamental or harmonic of their fundamental frequency.
However, these are the similar to the quantum mechanical properties associated with the wavefunction in that it only takes on the discontinuous or discreet energies associated with the formula E=hv where “E” equals the energy of a particle, “h” or Planck’s constant would correspond to the energy associated with the fundamental frequency of four *spatial* dimensions and “v” equals the frequency of its wave component.
This shows how one can not only define the physicality of the quantum mechanical properties of Schrödinger wavefunction but also of Planck’s constant by extrapolating the classical laws governing resonant system in a three-dimensional environment to a resonant system formed by a matter wave moving in four *spatial* dimensions.
However it also gives one the ability to understand why evolution of a quantum system is effected by observation or measurement.
Classical mechanics tells us that one should be able predict the future evolution of a system based on its history. In other words if one knew every detail of a systems history one could measure its future evolution with complete certainty. However it also tells us that one must interact with a system and therefore change its history to make a measurement. Therefore, the laws of classical mechanics tell us that one must base the future evolution of a system on new history created by a measurement.
Yet this is precisely what we observed in a quantum environment in that the act of measurement creates a new history for a system. The only difference between a classical and a quantum environment is that in the latter the act of measurement always makes significant change which cannot be ignored in determining the future of the environment.
However this does not mean that one cannot use the conceptual “reality” defined by classical mechanics to understand the physicality of the quantum world because as mentioned earlier classical mechanics also tells us the act of measurement must affect the future evolution of a system.
The other as of yet unanswered question that Brian Breen brought up in his book involving what happens to the quantum mechanical wave function when a measurement is made can also be found in classical mechanics.
As mentioned the earlier article “A classical Schrödinger’s wave equation” showed that one can derive the quantum mechanical properties of energy/mass in terms of a resonant structure by physically extrapolating the laws of classical mechanics to wave in a quantum environment.
This tells us that because of the continuous properties of waves, the energy associated with a quantum system would be distributed throughout an extended volume of space similar to how the wave generated by a vibrating ball on a surface of a rubber diaphragm are disturbed over its entire surface while the magnitude of the displacement it causes will decrease as one moves away from the point of contact.
However, this means if one extrapolates the mechanics of the rubber diaphragm to a “surface” of a three-dimensional space manifold one must assume the oscillations associated with each individual quantum system must be disturbed throughout the entire universe while the displacement created by its wave energy would decrease as one moves away from its position. This means there would be a non-zero probability they could be found anywhere in our three-dimensional environment because as was shown earlier a quantum mechanical system is a result of a resonant structure formed by wave oscillations which are disturbed throughout space.
Classical Wave Mechanics tells us a resonance would most probably occur on the surface of the rubber sheet were the magnitude of the vibrations is greatest and would diminish as one move away from that point,
Similarly an observer would most probably find a quantum system were the magnitude of the vibrations in a “surface” of a three-dimensional space manifold is greatest and would diminish as one move away from that point.
However as mentioned earlier this is exactly what is predicted by Quantum mechanics in that one can define a particle’s exact position or momentum only in terms of the probabilistic values associated with vibrations of its wave function
Yet this also means the wave function does not collapse but its evolution is redirected towards the observer.
In other words it answers the question “how an experimenter making a measurement (observation) causes a wave function to collapse” Greene, Brian asked in his book “The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality” by using the laws of classical mechanics to define the quantum environment and “explain ” show that the act of observation does not cause the collapse of the wavefunction but only redirects its evolution towards the observer.
It should be remember that we are not trying to quantify our quantum experiences but only to explain how and why we experience it the way we do in terms of the “realty” most of us associate with our classical world.
Later Jeff
Copyright 2012 Jeffrey O’Callaghan