Four Indistinguishable Phenomena?

In summary, according to the speaker, there are four phenomena that are indistinguishable from one another: crossing beyond an observer's cosmic horizon, crossing the event horizon of a black hole, accelerating toward and nearly reaching the speed of light, and approaching and nearly reaching zero degrees Kelvin.
  • #1
Ontophobe
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It seems to me, and so I'm really just checking to see if I understand it all correctly, that there are four phenomena in nature that are indistinguishable from one another: (1) crossing beyond an observer's cosmic horizon, (2) crossing the event horizon of a black hole, (3) accelerating toward and nearly reaching the speed of light, and (4) approaching and nearly reaching zero degrees Kelvin. In all four cases, an observer in an inertial frame of reference would see you redshift into invisibility ( I say "you" as if "you're" the one accelerating beyond the observer's cosmic horizon, or the black hole's event horizon, etc). I'm just starting to wrap my head around these concepts, so I'm just checking to see if I understand these four phenomena correctly by (a) venturing a hypothesis; i.e., these phenomena are as indistinguishable from one another as gravity is from acceleration, and I'm (b) testing that hypothesis; i.e., I'm asking y'all if it's true.
 
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  • #2
They are not indistinguishable (as in physically equivalent). Although 1-3 have certain similarities, 4 has nothing to do with the others.
 
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  • #3
Ontophobe said:
these phenomena are as indistinguishable from one another as gravity is from acceleration

Gravity is not indistinguishable from acceleration.

For your phenomena, none of them are indistinguishable from the others. (1), (2), and (3) do happen to have one common feature, which you describe as "redshifting into invisibility". (On a sufficiently generous interpretation of "redshifting", one could argue that (4) has that property as well; but the interpretation has to be generous.) However, having one common feature does not make them indistinguishable; that would imply that they had all possible features in common, which they don't.
 
  • #4
PeterDonis said:
On a sufficiently generous interpretation of "redshifting", one could argue that (4) has that property as well; but the interpretation has to be generous.
Average wavelength of a black body spectrum? That is generous ...
 
  • #5
The big difference is that for 1-3, small lab detects nothing unusual, while for 4, the lab scientists need very good coats.
 
  • #6
Since the "redshift" of a black body approaching absolute zero isn't caused by a Doppler effect, I see why it's a stretch to call it a "redshift."
 

FAQ: Four Indistinguishable Phenomena?

What is the concept of "Four Indistinguishable Phenomena"?

The concept of "Four Indistinguishable Phenomena" refers to a theoretical scenario in quantum mechanics where four identical particles interact with each other in such a way that it is impossible to distinguish between them.

Why is this concept important in quantum mechanics?

This concept is important because it challenges our understanding of particles as individual entities. It suggests that at a fundamental level, particles may not have distinct identities and may instead behave as a collective system.

How does this concept relate to the Pauli exclusion principle?

The Pauli exclusion principle states that no two identical fermions (particles with half-integer spin) can occupy the same quantum state simultaneously. This concept of "Four Indistinguishable Phenomena" extends this principle to four identical particles, suggesting that they can only exist in certain combinations and configurations.

Can "Four Indistinguishable Phenomena" occur in the macroscopic world?

No, this concept is specific to the microscopic world of quantum mechanics. In the macroscopic world, particles are not identical and can be easily distinguished from each other.

What are the implications of "Four Indistinguishable Phenomena" for our understanding of the universe?

This concept challenges our traditional understanding of particles and their individual properties. It also raises questions about the nature of reality and whether everything can truly be distinguished and quantified as separate entities.

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