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Science has a long history of giving things arbitrary or whimsical names, and regretting it. Consider "real" and "imaginary" numbers. Or names that have differe

• XorNot 5y ago
  Imaginary isn't exactly wrong though. Imaginary co-ordinate results in quantum mechanics correspond to non-physical observations - they "exist" but are unobserved until something squares them into reality. Same with AC power transfer - the imaginary power doesn't drive the load, but it's quite real because I^2*R turns the term into a real power for resistive losses.
  • MichaelBurge 5y ago
    > Imaginary co-ordinate results in quantum mechanics correspond to non-physical observations - they "exist" but are unobserved until something squares them into reality. This sounds wrong for three reasons: 1. You can multiply any vector of qubits representing a quantum state by any complex number and it's the same state. 2. Measurement is always with respect to a basis. A result can be measured with 0% probability in one basis, 50% in another, 100% in another. 3. It doesn't take into account interference, so it's missing the whole point of how quantum differs from regular probabilities.