4 ms·
> a coffee cup does not toggle between being a wave and a particle Neither does an electron, for that matter. Particles such as electrons, protons, etc, are q
by Florin_Andrei 8y ago
> a coffee cup does not toggle between being a wave and a particle
Neither does an electron, for that matter.
Particles such as electrons, protons, etc, are quantum objects. They're not waves. They're not particles. They are quantum objects - which means they have some wave-like properties, and some particle-like properties, but really are something else altogether.
- rrmm 8y agoThe toggling that does occur is in our mathematical treatment of the objects: sometimes it is advantageous to model them as a billiard ball and other times as a disturbance of a field. Sometimes you have no choice but to treat them fully as the quantum object they are. It just depends on whether you can eliminate some part of the complexity and still come up with an answer that is useful in reality.
- criddell 8y agoThis is something I've wondered about. Is the particle and wave idea just a calculation model or does that seem to be how things are actually constructed? For example, the Bohr model of the atom probably doesn't reflect how atoms are but 100 years ago (and in high school today) it's a useful model.
- Florin_Andrei 8y agoBoth "particle" and "wave" are simplifications. And yes, models can be useful.