How can an atom exist in two places at once until observed?
In: 0
Oof this is a toughy. Quantum Mechanism is notorious difficult to understand even in Lainmens terms. But I’ll try my best.
Atoms don’t really exist in 2 places at once, but rather an atom can take 2 different paths at once and end up at the same point? Confused yet? Good, that’s the point. Quantum Mechanism makes no sense.
Anyways, atoms have no classically defined position at all between measurements. I.E it’s position can’t be calculated with math like almost anything else in the universe because again… quantum mechanics…
We use a tactic called position operators… which kind of is like a coordinate system but for atoms. Don’t ask me to explain further because I really can’t…
Unlike if traditional numbers worked, a position operator doesn’t actually tell us where an atoms is. The atom is neither here nor there, nor anywhere else. The position operator tells us how likely it is that we find the atom at a particular place, if we look. It does not tell us where the atom is.
But when you actually look and find the atom somewhere, the atom is in exactly one place: the place where you found it. It is never in two places at once. However, most of the time (that is, always when you are not looking) it is in no place at all, in a classical sense, as it has no well-defined position.
You still confused? Perfect, being confused about quantum mechanism is the biggest part about understanding it.
Latest Answers