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The double-slit experiment is one of the key to understanding quantum mechanics of individual particles and how particles don't act just like particles, but lik
by jameskilton 15y ago
The double-slit experiment is one of the key to understanding quantum mechanics of individual particles and how particles don't act just like particles, but like waves as well.
This section on wikipedia explains it quite well: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-slit_experiment#When_observed_emission_by_emission http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-slit_experiment#When_obs...
In short, Quantum mechanics doesn't follow locality rules we're used to in our macro world, so it can be really hard to wrap your mind around what's going on.
- mikecane 15y agoOh, that's a great explanation! Finally! It trumps all the books for the general public I've read on the subject. Thanks very much.
- eru 15y agoAnd those particles don't really behave like waves either. It's much stranger than that. Basically, quantum mechanics throws out the notion of a path of movement. You can tell where something is, when you observe it, but you can't tell where it has been in between.