1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 534 Overthrowing causality! The world is random! Three major probability analyses! Weird and unpredictable! The more you understand, the more frightened you become!

The probability wave theory proposed by Li Qiwei shocked all the quantum giants present.

Whether it was the older generation of physicists like Planck or the new geniuses like Heisenberg, they were all shocked and amazed.

For a time, no one dared to believe the authenticity of this theory.

Because it challenges the nature of the world: causality!
If probability waves really exist, then the nature of the world will become random.

What a terrible fact this is!

According to Newton's understanding of classical mechanics, if we know the motion state of the ball at time t.

Then, based on the force acting on the ball, we can list its motion equation and thus find out the motion state of the ball after time t.

The force acting on the ball is the cause, and the trajectory of the ball is the result.

This is completely in line with human intuition.

There is cause before there is effect.

But replace the balls with electrons, and everything changes.

Even based on the Schrödinger equation, we can calculate the wave function of the electron at time t and all subsequent times.

But we still don't know where the electron will appear next.

Because even if the probability of the electron appearing at point A is 99.999%, there is still a slight possibility that it will appear at point B.

The wave function can only calculate the probability of an electron appearing in a certain place, but it does not guarantee that the electron will [definitely] appear there.

If you apply this phenomenon to a small ball, you will find how outrageous it is.

According to Newtonian mechanics, the ball should continue to move forward at the next moment.

But the ball appeared directly on the moon the next moment.

"Listen, is this human language?"

“Isn’t this nonsense?”

Probability waves are just so outrageous.

This is the inner reflection of all the physics bigwigs present.

"That's outrageous!"

At this moment, the room was still extremely quiet.

Everyone was digesting this shocking theory.

The probability wave is not quite the same as the original electron transition probability.

The former is even more incredible.

After a long while, Lorenz frowned slightly, his expression solemn, and he asked:
"Bruce, let me explain it to you and see if my understanding is correct."

Li Qiwei smiled slightly.

"Please say."

Lorenz coughed and tried to explain:
"So far, there are three kinds of probabilistic phenomena in physics."

"The first."

"A few days ago, Bruce, in your speech, you analyzed the relationship between heat and quantum mechanics."

"Some of the inspiration in quantum mechanics comes from the theory of heat."

“Among them, probability statistics is the most important concept in statistical mechanics.”

"The trajectory of each particle is different. Some particles will move to point A in the next moment, and some particles will move to point B in the next moment."

"If after counting the movement states of all particles, it is found that 99.99% of the particles move to A, and the rest move to BCD"

"Then, we can say that this particle system moves to point A in the next moment."

"But we know [clearly] that although the system as a whole moves to point A, there are very few particles that do not move to point A."

“With enough computing power, we can even [accurately] calculate the trajectory of these particles.”

“But that’s not necessary, because we’re studying the statistical behavior of large numbers of particles.”

"Through simple statistics and probability distribution functions, we can meet usage requirements."

"This is the application of probability in thermodynamics. It's easy to understand."

"Let me give you another vivid example."

“It’s like the coin toss experiment.”

"At the moment the coin is thrown, if we can [precisely] know the gravity, the mass of the coin, the air resistance and so on."

"Then strictly speaking, we can directly [calculate] the state of the coin at the moment it falls."

"But this method requires parameters and precision beyond the limits of what humans can achieve."

"So, we estimate it through probability."

"If you do it enough times, the result will still be correct."

"So, the so-called probability is not really random, but our approximation of nature!"

“Because human computing power is limited, it is impossible to [accurately] calculate all the behaviors of the universe in real time.”

“So some processes can only be described through probability.”

"But the nature of the universe is causal, and probability is just some kind of external manifestation of a large number of causes and effects."

“This is my understanding of the first probability.”

Everyone nodded heavily, obviously agreeing very much.

Professor Lorentz is indeed worthy of being called a master of classical physics.

His analysis is both accessible and extremely insightful.

“But in the second one, things change.”

"That is the probability of electron transition that Professor Bruce mentioned."

"In the old quantum theory, the transition behavior of electrons between different energy levels is probabilistic."

"That is to say, [when] the electron will jump from energy level A to energy level B is a probability."

“The electron jumps from A to [B or C], which is also a probability.”

"Professor Bruce thinks this is a real probability!"

"That is, we cannot use the equations of motion for an electron to calculate when and where it will jump."

“It has nothing to do with computing power.”

"Even if we know all the parameters of the electron, we still cannot calculate its transition behavior."

“Let’s use the coin tossing example again.”

"That is, even if we know all the parameters such as gravity, mass, resistance, etc. at the moment the coin is thrown."

"Whether the coin is heads or tails when it hits the ground has nothing to do with the answer you get."

"That's Professor Bruce's point."

"Almost no one in the physics community agreed with this theory at the time."

"Because it violates the law of causality."

“I am one of them.”

"And Professor Einstein made a very good counterargument."

"He believed that the probability of electron transitions is actually the same as the probability of thermodynamics."

"Because we claim to know all the parameters of the electron, there are still some parameters that cannot be discovered within the existing theoretical framework."

“They are like hidden variables, which can be figuratively called [hidden variables].”

"The transition behavior of electrons is actually controlled by these hidden variables."

"In this way, the essence of the world returns to causality."

"I personally agree very much with Professor Einstein's views."

"In summary, the probabilistic transition behavior of electrons is due to human beings' temporary ignorance."

“This is my understanding of the second probability.”

Wow!
Everyone was shocked!

Professor Lorenz’s analysis is amazing!

A gleam of light flashed in Einstein's eyes, and he came back to his senses from his shock and confusion.

"My hidden variable theory has finally been recognized!"

"Bruce, this time, I'm afraid I'll be on the opposite side of you!"

Lorenz continued.

"And now for the third probability: the probability wave."

"According to Professor Bruce's point of view, the essence of probability waves is actually the same as the probability of electron transitions." "But the former is even more incredible than the latter!"

"For electron transitions, no matter how the electrons jump, they will eventually end up in a certain orbit."

“But probability waves are different.”

"Electrons can appear anywhere within an atom and are not controlled or influenced by any factor."

"For example, we accelerate an electron and make it move forward, but due to probability, the electron will move backward instead."

"When we accelerate a second time, the electron moves to the left again."

“This is again a more profound violation of the law of causality.”

“Even hidden variables are not easy to explain.”

"Besides, there is something unimaginable."

"The probability of electron transition is a probability in the conventional mathematical sense."

“For example, the probability of an electron jumping from orbital A to orbital B is 0.5.”

"Then this probability of 0.5 itself is a purely mathematical concept."

“It’s no different than the probability of a coin landing on heads being 0.5. It’s just a [mathematical abstraction].”

“It’s like the number 1 and an apple; they are two completely different things.”

"But probability waves are different. They are not just probabilities. They are more like a kind of [physical reality]."

"for example."

"The probability of the electron appearing at point A is 0.1, the probability of appearing at point B is 0.2, and the probability of appearing at point C is 0.3"

“The probability distribution of electrons at different points is expressed mathematically in the form of a wave function.”

"If it only goes this far, everyone can understand it."

"After all, mathematics is very interesting. It is not surprising that the probability distribution formula of electrons looks like the real wave formula."

"But the weird thing is that this unreal probability wave can interfere, diffract, and so on, just like a real wave."

"This is my wife."

Lorenz couldn't even find the precise words to express how he felt.

But the bosses present could understand and were in sync with each other.

“We thought so too!”

Lorenz hissed, shook his head, and continued:

"It's like someone told you: x+y=1 and x+y=3, these two mathematical equations interfere with each other."

"The interference fringes produced are even reflected on your face."

"You definitely feel like either the other person is crazy or the world is crazy."

“That’s the weird thing about probability waves.”

"The above is my understanding of the three probabilities."

Having said this, Lorenz seemed to have used up all his strength.

Then he asked with a wry smile:

"Bruce, do you think I understand you correctly?"

Wow!
Everyone was shocked!

After Professor Lorentz’s explanation, everyone had a deeper understanding of probability wave theory.

However, the deeper they understood, the more frightened they felt!
The behavior of electrons is governed by the weird and unpredictable probabilities.

Moreover, this probability is a truly random process and is not affected by the existence of any material, energy or information in the objective world.

Even if the earth is destroyed, it will not prevent electrons from appearing on the moon in the next second.

This is terrible!

Incredible! Unthinkable! Indescribable!

It’s like entering God’s forbidden zone!
Facing Lorenz's entanglement, Li Qiwei smiled lightly.

"Your analysis is very correct, Professor Lorenz."

“Probability waves do violate the law of causality.”

"But there is one thing I need to correct you on."

"It's not so incredible that probability waves can interfere with, diffract, and react with real waves."

"It's all because of your habitual thinking."

Lorenz was shocked when he heard this!
The others were also very curious.

What does this mean?
Ridgeway continued:
"Just now Wu Youxun said that there are only two kinds of fluctuations in nature."

"One is the mechanical wave caused by mechanical vibration, and the other is the electromagnetic wave formed by the alternation of electric and magnetic fields."

"The wave functions of these two types of waves are actually pure mathematical concepts."

“The wave function and the material basis of the wave function are two different existences.”

"Take water waves as an example of mechanical waves."

"When water waves interfere, it does not mean that the wave functions ψ interfere in the physical sense."

"It means that two different kinds of water meet and interfere with each other, forming a new kind of water wave."

"At this time, the wave function of this new water wave is also new, and it is formed by mathematical transformation of the wave functions of the original two water waves."

"That is, wave function interference refers to the addition of mathematical states, which corresponds to the field of physics, referring to the interference and superposition of two water waves."

"These are two completely different processes and should not be confused."

“[Water wave interference] is a physical phenomenon, and [wave function interference of water waves] is the mathematical description of the corresponding water wave interference.”

"In the same way, if you consider the probability wave as a kind of wave."

"Then it is easy to understand its interference phenomenon."

"Electrons have the dual nature of wave and particle. The probability wave of electrons describes the state of [the probability of an electron appearing in a certain place]."

“[The probability of an electron appearing in a certain place] and [the shape of a water wave] are equivalent events.”

"The so-called probability wave interference does not refer to the probability number, but the interference in the physical sense."

"It's that [the probability of the electron being somewhere] and [the probability of the electron being somewhere], these two events interfere with each other."

"[The probability interference of electrons appearing somewhere] is a physical fact, and [probability wave interference] is the corresponding mathematical description."

"The reason I just said that probability waves are not real waves is actually to compare them with mechanical waves."

“Because the water wave itself is matter, but [the probability of an electron appearing somewhere] is a phenomenon.”

“It’s like we view the human body as real and the mind as an illusion.”

"Do you understand?"

hiss!
Everyone gasped!
Professor Bruce's rigor in paying attention to conceptual details is simply outrageous.

It's completely word by word.

Lorenz nodded mechanically.

"Bruce, I understand what you mean."

"This is actually the fuzziness of the definitions of mathematics and physics caused by language description."

"But, even so."

"I'm still confused: [The probability of an electron appearing somewhere] is clearly an event, how can it interfere?"

"It's like, I'm eating and you're eating, how can these two processes interfere?"

Li Qiwei smiled slightly.

"In the microscopic world, the event [the probability of an electron appearing in a certain place] can indeed interfere!"

“That’s why I firmly believe that probability waves are the third type of waves.”

"We cannot use the thinking of mechanical waves or electromagnetic waves to understand this new type of wave."

The whole audience was shocked!

Whether it is the interference of probability waves or the violation of the law of causality by probability waves, these theories are challenging the cognitive limits of the public.

Everyone has too many doubts.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to have lunch today."

Now you should be able to understand the interference of probability waves.

In fact, there is a fourth type of wave, I wonder if you have remembered it.

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(End of this chapter)