Wednesday 23 February 2011

Delayed Quantum Eraser?

Just a quick question. Can someone explain to me how it is that in the delayed quantum eraser experiment that viewing the screen detector (where either the interference pattern or 2 bands would be observed) after the photon that is destined to hit the screen has hit, but before its entangled pair is observed screw it up? I've been considering possible outcomes, not knowing what is actually observed when this is done. logically we should expect either an interference pattern or 2 bands whether it screws up or not. So, lets explore these options. if it screws up and we see 2 bands and then decide not to observe the recording photon do we not effectively have a standard double slit experiment with a photon that's behaving like a particle even though it isn't being observed? The other option is that we see an interference pattern, but then what if we decide to look at the recording photon, we have a photon that's behaving like a wave even though it IS being observed. now to me that's sounds absolutely absurd, but the fist option isn't much better. Based on that it seems as though in either case we can potentially cause a miss match of causality, not retrocausality, straight  up the wrong effect for that cause. So then how can this be? If the delayed quantum eraser experiment does not display macro retrocausality then it leaves us with the option to defy causality entirely? Sorry about the messy post, ill clean it up later, wrote this on my break at work.

12 comments:

  1. Lost me on the second sentence. :(

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  2. I didn't understand a single word but I'm laughing for a reason xDD

    hilarious post 10/10

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  3. i wish i knew the answer to your question

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  4. Nice information, never knew they were going to make a Quantum Eraser int he first place.

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  5. yer man its nuts, observing the photon in the future makes it collapse in the past and form 2 bands. But they are claiming that if you actually look at the screen before you have observed the photon that it doesnt work. I just can't see how that could happen without giving us the option to defy causality

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  6. Whoah...that's a bit over my head. As I read that I kept hearing the teacher from Peanuts...

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  7. the observation effects the outcome if i'm not mistaken. i'm not familiar with this particular experiment protocol though.

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  8. the observation does indeed effect the outcome, however they are claiming that under thse circumstances it does not. But if it isnt effecting the outcome then what is creating that outcome? An effect with no cause is a violation of causality.

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  9. Too much physics! Not enough chemistry! Haha, just kidding. It's interesting, but a little over my head.

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