- #1
name123
- 510
- 5
Apologies in advance if my understandings are simply incorrect.
As I understand it, there is a limit to what can be known about both a particle's position and momentum, and in some interpretations this is because there is no position or momentum until measurement only a probability. What I am not clear on is how big the particle can be with such an interpretation, can it include a molecule. For example as I understand it, even at room temperature water molecules can evaporate if they are near the surface if they gain enough energy, and that they can gain this energy through collisions. But then for the evaporated molecule to be measured, would it not be thought to have of collided at a certain position at a certain momentum with another water molecule prior to the measurement? Thus be thought to have had a certain position and momentum (at the point of collision) prior to measurement. Or is it just assigned a probability of evaporating, or perhaps there being no "it" to assign it to, but there just being a probability of measuring such an effect given the probabilities within the system? Sorry if I am not phrasing this correctly. If not I would appreciate any help on how to best phrase it (assuming the respondent can understand the questions).
As I understand it, there is a limit to what can be known about both a particle's position and momentum, and in some interpretations this is because there is no position or momentum until measurement only a probability. What I am not clear on is how big the particle can be with such an interpretation, can it include a molecule. For example as I understand it, even at room temperature water molecules can evaporate if they are near the surface if they gain enough energy, and that they can gain this energy through collisions. But then for the evaporated molecule to be measured, would it not be thought to have of collided at a certain position at a certain momentum with another water molecule prior to the measurement? Thus be thought to have had a certain position and momentum (at the point of collision) prior to measurement. Or is it just assigned a probability of evaporating, or perhaps there being no "it" to assign it to, but there just being a probability of measuring such an effect given the probabilities within the system? Sorry if I am not phrasing this correctly. If not I would appreciate any help on how to best phrase it (assuming the respondent can understand the questions).