4 ms·
> the wave function’s numbers have no obvious meaning A lot of things in physics (or in other model in science, for that matter) have cannot be measured direct
by stared 6y ago
> the wave function’s numbers have no obvious meaning
A lot of things in physics (or in other model in science, for that matter) have cannot be measured directly. (I think "has no meaning" is a stretch here.)
I can go for ages talking about things in physics that are less intuitive than simple, non-relativistic, quantum mechanics (Poynting vector, anyone?)
But think about something simple and concrete: electric potential. You cannot measure it. But you can measure its difference.
- mcnamaratw 6y agoI am not disagreeing with your overall point, but they sell meters that measure electric potential. We measure it all the time.
- AnimalMuppet 6y agoNo, they measure the electric potential difference between two points. This is why, for example, you ground your scope probes.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- mcnamaratw 6y agoOnly the potential difference is physically meaningful. The absolute potential has no effect on anything. You can add 1000 V or 10^6 V to everything and you get exactly the same physics.
- corty 6y agoThere are some systems (Schottky junctions iirc) where you can semidirectly sample a wave function via a voltage.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]