Quantum nonlocality and entanglement

In summary, Wikipedia notes that entanglement of a two-party state is necessary but not sufficient for nonlocality. However, some interpretations of quantum mechanics without collapse show that nonlocality can still exist even without entanglement. It is important to note that this nonlocality does not involve nonlocal interactions according to standard relativistic quantum field theory.
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  • #2
An electron's wave function can be thought of as being a large entangled state, with a qubit at each point in space that is 1 if the electron is present and 0 otherwise. The qubits are entangled such that only one of them will be 1 at a time (assuming just a single electron is present). Then the "collapse of the wavefunction" translates to "collapse of the large non-local state between all the is-electron-here qubits".
 
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  • #3
Spar said:
But isn't wave function collapse nonlocal without any quantum entanglement?
Yes, but there are interpretations of QM without collapse. Some entangled states show that there is some kind of nonlocality even without the collapse.
 
  • #4
It should, however, be stressed that you have "nonlocal" (I'd rather say, "long-ranged") correlations but, according to standard relativistic QFT, no nonlocal interactions. That's of utmost importance to really debunk the original EPR criticism. A collapse assumption is directly contradicting this important principle and thus is inconsistent with the most successful physical theory ever, which is relativistic local QFT.
 

FAQ: Quantum nonlocality and entanglement

1. What is quantum nonlocality?

Quantum nonlocality is a phenomenon in quantum mechanics where two or more particles become entangled and share a connection that allows them to affect each other's behavior, even when separated by large distances.

2. What is entanglement in quantum mechanics?

Entanglement is a property of quantum particles where they become correlated in such a way that the state of one particle affects the state of the other, regardless of the distance between them.

3. How is quantum nonlocality different from classical nonlocality?

In classical physics, nonlocality refers to the idea that an event in one location can have an instantaneous effect on another location, violating the principles of causality. In quantum mechanics, nonlocality refers to the entanglement of particles, where their behavior is correlated but not necessarily caused by each other.

4. How does quantum nonlocality impact our understanding of reality?

Quantum nonlocality challenges our classical understanding of reality, where events are assumed to have a definite cause and effect. It suggests that particles can exist in multiple states simultaneously and that their behavior is interconnected, challenging our traditional notions of space and time.

5. What practical applications does quantum nonlocality have?

Quantum nonlocality has practical applications in quantum communication, cryptography, and computing. It also has potential uses in quantum teleportation and quantum sensing technologies.

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