The Quantum Enigma: the wave particle duality of existence

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The Quantum Enigma or the discrepancy between the worldview implied by the accuracy of modern quantum mechanics and our Common sense (Sept. 1, 2008) understanding of reality is due to the incompleteness of its theoretical structure.  

Its absurdity arises from the fact, as Werner Heisenberg one of the founding fathers of quantum mechanics put it “atoms or elementary particles themselves are not real but are forms of world probability or possibilities rather than things or facts”.

Quantum mechanics defines the probability of finding a particle in given region in terms of Schrödinger’s wave function or equation.  However, according to the Copenhagen‎ interpretation it only defines the probability of particle being there.  Therefore, it assumes it only comes into existence after one observes it because before it existed only as an abstract mathematical wave function.  Therefore, it did not have the properties of a “real” particle.  However, after one observes it a particle appears in a compact region space while the wave function that was in that region collapses or disappears.  Therefore, quantum mechanics assumes that the act of observing a wave function is the causality of a particles existence.

However, one can define a perfectly logical reason why the act of observing the wave function results in its collapse and the formation of particle by extrapolating the laws of Newtonian mechanics in a three-dimensional environment to four *spatial* dimensions.

Einstein gave us this ability when he used the velocity of light to define the geometric properties of time in a space-time environment because it allows one to convert a unit of time in it to a unit of a space identical to those of our three-dimensional space.  Additionally because the velocity of light is constant it is possible to defined a universe made up of four *spatial* dimensions that makes predictions identical to those he had attributed to four dimensional space-time.

For example the article “Why is energy/mass quantized?” Oct. 4, 2007 showed that one can derive the quantum mechanical characteristics of a particle by extrapolating the resonant properties of a classical three-dimensional environment to a matter wave on a “surface” of a three-dimensional space manifold with respect to a fourth *spatial* dimension.  Additionally it was showed why all is energy propagated in resonant systems and therefore must be quantized. 

There are 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.

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 space.

These resonant systems in a continuous form of mass/energy are responsible for the quantum mechanical properties of a particle.

This would solve the Enigma as to what is waving in Schrödinger’s wave function by defining the medium supporting it in terms of space itself.  This is because, as was shown in that article the vibrations of three-dimensional space with respect to a fourth *spatial* dimension is responsible for the both wave and resonant structure that defines the quantum mechanical properties of energy/mass.

However it also explains why it must be define as a wave before an observation is made and a particle after.

For example according to the laws of classical wave mechanics the “concentration” of a wave’s energy is maximum at its peaks and troughs.  Therefore, one could only observe or “drain” the energy continued in a wave function at points corresponding to those peaks and valleys because those would be the only points where its energy would be “concentrated” enough to be redirected as a resonant system to the observing instrument.  However, as was shown in the article “Why is energy/mass quantized?“ a particle is defined by the energy of its resonant structure.  Therefore, when one looks at a particular spot within the confines of a wave function one would either find a particle or nothing at all because the volumes between its peaks and troughs would not contain enough energy to allow its resonant structure to be redirect towards an observer. 

This is analogous to how the potential energy of water in a sink is release by allowing it to go down the drain.  If all we could observe is the water coming out of the drain we would have to assume that it was concentrated in the region of space defined by the diameter of the drain.  However, in reality the water occupies a much larger region. 

Additionally, the fact that a particle is made up of the energy of its wave function means they both cannot exist at the same time.  Therefore, if one chooses to observe it as a particle such as an electron one would not be able to observe its wave properties because as mentioned earlier all energy is propagated in resonant systems.  Therefore, observing it as a particle would require the observer to redirected its energy from a specific point in space that contained the energy its resonant system leaving nothing to support the its wave function.  However if one chooses to observe its wave properties, such as the diffuse orbit of an electron around a nucleus one could not observe it as a particle because its energy is contained in the diffuse environment of the electrons orbit.

This means contrary to the Copenhagen‎ interoperation the act of observing a wave function does not create a particle but only transforms or redirects its energy from a specific point within the extended spatial environment associated its wave function. 

In other words, when we observe a wave function, we are not causing its collapse while creating a particle but only redirecting its wave energy to the resonant system that defined its quantum mechanical properties in the article “Why is energy/mass quantized?“

This is analogous to how one can change the form of water from a solid to a liquid or vice versa by either cooling or heating it.  However, the act of cooling or heating water does not create anything that was not there before it just changes the form of the water from a liquid to a solid.

This also explains why, in classical terms a particle appears to be simultaneously in many places at one time within the confines of its wave function because it shows its position relative to it would be dependent on where one observed its wave function.  In other words, a wave function contains only one not multiple copies of a particle whose position within the wave function is defined by where one chooses to observe it.

It also defines the randomness of quantum mechanics in classical terms because it shows the probability of finding a particle in a specific point in space would depend on where in the time varying environment of a wave function an observer made contact with it.  Since an observer is unable to view a wave function before his or her instruments interacted with it he or she could only determine the probably of where a particle will appear in its extended spatial environment.

Additionally, it defines a classical reason why consciousness appears to play a role in the outcome of an observation.  If one chooses to view an electron orbiting an atom from afar, so to speak he or she would only “see” the interference pattern generated by wave function.  However, if one chose to measure where it was he or she only would “see” it as a compact or point source called a particle centered within the volume defined by the peaks and troughs of its wave function.

Finally, it defines why how we chose to observe a quantum system effects what we observe.  For example, if chooses to look at a specific region of space within the confines of a wave function we will not be able to see the interference that it causes because, as mentioned earlier that act will causes its energy to be redirected to a particle format.  Therefore, we will only be able to observe quantum mechanical properties associated with it.  However, if we chose to look only at the extended volume of space occupied by it we will always observe the interference associated with its wave properties because they will interfere with each other within that volume.

This shows that one can derive a classical common sense explanation of the wave particle duality of existence if one assumes, as we have done in the article “Why is energy/mass quantized?“ that the quantum mechanical properties of energy/mass are the caused by a resonant system formed by a matter wave moving on a “surface of a three-dimensional space manifold with respect to a fourth *spatial* dimension.  Additionally, it completes the theoretical structure of quantum mechanics by providing an answer to the quantum enigma of why the conscience actions or awareness of an observer appear to affect physically reality as is demanded by the Copenhagen interpretation.

Later Jeff

Copyright Jeffrey O’Callaghan 2010

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