Exploring Quantum Actions in Time: Slit Experiment and Relativistic QM

[rand310]

I'm away from my university studying in a far away land, and I dram up questions, but I have no one to ask...

Where could I find resources about quantum actions in time? I'd really like to know more relativistic QM.

One question I had was with respect to the temporalness of the slit experiment. If I am to understand Feynman diagrams/theory correctly, one could essentially compute an integral of all possible paths between one side and the other of a slit experiment to arrive at a statistical result.

If so, is there a difference in the statistical result if, while a photon is traveling to the receptor, the receptor is moved backwards? The question would ask whether or not the movement of the receptor was 'anticipated' by the photon, or did the photon change it's course once the receptor was moved. It seems an interesting experiment with respect to time in QM, but I'm not sure.

Even if I'm way off base, is there some book/resource to learn about such temporal QM?

 

[eljose79]

I can understand your frustration with not having anyone to ask your questions to. Fortunately, there are many resources available for you to learn more about quantum actions in time and relativistic QM.

One of the first places you could start is by looking at online databases or journals related to quantum mechanics and relativity. These resources often have articles and studies that discuss the temporal aspects of quantum mechanics and how it relates to relativity.

Another option is to reach out to professors or researchers in the field through email or online forums. They may be able to provide you with more specific and in-depth resources or even offer to answer any questions you have.

In terms of your specific question about the slit experiment and the movement of the receptor, I would recommend looking into the concept of "time-reversal symmetry" in quantum mechanics. This idea suggests that the laws of physics should hold true regardless of the direction of time, so the movement of the receptor should not affect the statistical result of the experiment.

As for books or resources to learn more about temporal QM, there are many textbooks and online courses available that cover this topic. Some recommendations include "Quantum Mechanics and Time" by J.G. Muga, R. Sala Mayato, and I.L. Egusquiza, and "Quantum Mechanics: A Time-Dependent Approach" by Franz Schwabl.

I hope these resources will be helpful to you in your studies. Best of luck!

 

[denian]

I understand your curiosity and desire to learn more about quantum actions in time and relativistic quantum mechanics. There are many resources available to explore these topics, both online and in print. One great place to start your research would be the website of your university's physics department, where you can find recommended readings and resources on quantum mechanics and relativity. You can also search for scientific journals and publications that specialize in these areas.

To address your specific question about the temporalness of the slit experiment, it is important to note that in quantum mechanics, the concept of time is treated differently than in classical mechanics. The wave function, which describes the probability of a particle's position and momentum, evolves over time according to the Schrödinger equation. In this sense, the movement of the receptor in the experiment would not be considered a classical "anticipation" by the photon, but rather a change in the overall system's wave function.

There are also various interpretations of quantum mechanics that attempt to explain the role of time in quantum phenomena, such as the Copenhagen interpretation, the many-worlds interpretation, and the transactional interpretation. These interpretations may offer different perspectives on the question you posed.

As for resources to learn more about temporal quantum mechanics, some recommended books include "The Quantum World: Quantum Physics for Everyone" by Kenneth W. Ford and "Quantum Mechanics: The Theoretical Minimum" by Leonard Susskind and Art Friedman. Online resources such as the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy and the Institute of Physics' Quantum Physics website also offer in-depth explanations and discussions on the subject.

Ultimately, the exploration of quantum actions in time and relativistic quantum mechanics is a complex and ongoing area of research in physics. I encourage you to continue your studies and discussions with fellow scientists and experts in the field to deepen your understanding and potentially contribute to the advancement of this fascinating topic.