Many Worlds, Indistinguishability, Pascal's Triangle and the Gaussian

In summary, the conversation discusses the generation of a Gaussian distribution from the process of splitting a quantity into two new worlds iteratively. This distribution is observed in both statistics and quantum physics. The relevance of this to the physical world and its connection to the Many Worlds interpretation is questioned, as well as the potential causes for the emergence of this distribution.
  • #1
craigi
615
36
Suppose we have a quantity which can take discrete equally spaced values. Iteratively, we can increase or decrease this quantity by one quantum, splitting into two new worlds each time. After multiple iterations we have some indistinguishable worlds, as described by Pascal's triangle. As the number of iterations tends towards infinity, this distribution tends towards the Gaussian distribution matching the distribution given by unbiased measurements on incoherent systems, which is pretty cool.

So my question is, where does this line of thinking go? Can we take it any further?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
IMHO it leads nowhere. This is one of the "logical" problems with the Many Worlds interpretation of QM: it inverts the fact that there are multiple possibilities for the outcome of an interaction in our universe with ...

... there are many universes, and only one outcome will occur in each universe.
 
  • #3
UltrafastPED said:
IMHO it leads nowhere. This is one of the "logical" problems with the Many Worlds interpretation of QM: it inverts the fact that there are multiple possibilities for the outcome of an interaction in our universe with ...

... there are many universes, and only one outcome will occur in each universe.

I'm less concerned with the interpretation in general, than how the Gaussian distribution is generated in this circumstance.

For example, the position of a particle can be predicted from infinitesimal 2-state momentum iterations. Previously, I had presumed that a Gaussian distribution on particle position was linked to a Gaussian distribution on it's momentum, but it seems that this isn't necessairily the case.
 
Last edited:
  • #4
Seems to be purely a math problem. Perhaps you could run a simulation.
 
  • #5
UltrafastPED said:
Seems to be purely a math problem. Perhaps you could run a simulation.

It wouldn't glean anything other than demonstrating that a Pascal triangle does converge to a Gaussian distribution.

Perhaps a deeper question is what is the relevance of this to the physical world?
 
Last edited:
  • #7
UltrafastPED said:
Is this what you are trying to do?

"From Pascal's Triangle to the Bell-shaped Curve"
http://www.ams.org/samplings/feature-column/fcarc-normal

Well that's the just the maths, but the Gaussian distribution is a feature, of nature too.

It crops up in statistics and probability theory which, as you suggest, is a mathematical problem.

In the physical world it manifests in molecular diffusion. This isn't suprising because the diffusion process is very similar to the process that I described resulting in the Pascal triangle. Many discrete interactions on a microscopic scale culminating in the continuous macroscopic distribution function.

The thing that I'm really interested in, is that it also occurs in quantum physics and I'm wondering what relation, if any, the MW splitting mechanism has to it. Could it be that here also, the distribution is produced by many small processes, or is there another explanation for how this function emerges?

I'm not really expecting anyone to give me a good answer to this, because I guess what this amounts to is asking what causes the Schrodinger equation.
 
Last edited:
  • #8
Just going to bump this once in case anyone can offer any leads on it.
 

Related to Many Worlds, Indistinguishability, Pascal's Triangle and the Gaussian

1. What is the concept of "Many Worlds" in science?

The theory of Many Worlds, also known as the Many-Worlds Interpretation, is a concept in quantum mechanics that proposes the existence of multiple parallel universes. It suggests that every time a quantum event occurs, the universe branches off into a new one, creating a multitude of possible worlds.

2. How does indistinguishability play a role in quantum mechanics?

In quantum mechanics, indistinguishability refers to the fact that certain particles, such as electrons or photons, cannot be distinguished from one another. This is due to their identical properties, such as mass and charge. This concept is crucial in understanding phenomena such as quantum entanglement and the behavior of particles in superposition.

3. What is the significance of Pascal's Triangle in mathematics?

Pascal's Triangle is a mathematical pattern of numbers that is formed by adding the two numbers above it. It has many applications in mathematics, including binomial coefficients, probability, and fractals. It is also used for solving problems in combinatorics, number theory, and algebra.

4. How is the Gaussian distribution used in science?

The Gaussian distribution, also known as the normal distribution, is a probability distribution that is commonly used to describe real-world phenomena. It is often used to model natural processes, such as measurements of physical quantities, and is also used in statistics and data analysis.

5. Can Pascal's Triangle be extended to more dimensions?

Yes, Pascal's Triangle can be extended to more dimensions, creating what is known as Pascal's Pyramid. This concept is used in various fields, such as computer graphics, to generate complex geometric shapes and patterns.

Similar threads

I What is the true nature of worlds in the Many-Worlds Interpretation?
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
11
Views
1K
I Does 'many worlds', imply worlds before the Big Bang?
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
4
Views
1K
Many Worlds and the Measurement of an Electron
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
4
Views
1K
A Many worlds, observer and Entropy
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
3
Views
2K
I Single world or multiple worlds?
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
20
Views
1K
Many Worlds Interpretations and probabilities
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
2
Replies
61
Views
6K
I Quantum Ball and Cup - Thought Experiment
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
3
Replies
94
Views
6K
I Can the Many Worlds interpretation state the Born Rule as a postulate?
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
8
Views
2K
I Many Worlds vs Classical Mechanics
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
6
Views
2K
I What to do with biased estimators if we don't know the bias term?
    • Set Theory, Logic, Probability, Statistics
Replies
1
Views
906

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top