1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 535: Ghosts and spirits! Everywhere! "Does God play dice?" The soul's question! Shocking the audience!

After Lorentz's summary and analysis, the probability wave brought even greater shock to the physics giants present.

Ehrenfest briefly described to everyone the speech he had given a few days ago.

This immediately caused another round of exclamations.

"What a coincidence!"

"Professor Bruce just said that thermal theory may have an impact on quantum mechanics in the future."

“As a result, probability waves appear.”

"I'm afraid that Professor Bruce will start another trend in thermal research."

By now, Lorenz had calmed down and resumed his duties as host.

"Today's meeting is more enjoyable than a feast. I think everyone's soul has already been full."

Everyone smiled knowingly.

Professor Lorenz's humor dispelled the solemn atmosphere at the scene.

"But it would be a pity to eat all the delicacies from land and sea but not be able to appreciate their beauty."

"The probability wave theory proposed by Professor Bruce is comparable to the shock that the curvature of space-time in general relativity brought to the physics community."

“The essence of the world is probabilistic and random, and this view challenges the beliefs held by humans or scientists.”

"I believe that everyone here must have too many questions in their hearts."

"Now, please ask questions in an orderly manner."

"I believe Professor Bruce will give us a perfect explanation."

Wow!
Everyone was shocked!

Li Qiwei smiled slightly.

"It's finally here that's supposed to come."

At this time, to everyone's surprise, Rutherford was the first to speak.

"Haha, I'm not asking a question, I just want to share something."

"Bruce, your probability wave theory reminds me of the half-life concept I once proposed."

"In radiology, the time it takes for half of the atoms of a radioactive element to decay is defined as the half-life of the element."

"For example, the half-life of the element [strontium] is 30 years."

"This means that no matter how much strontium you take, after 30 years, half of the strontium atoms will decay into other elements."

"Besides, I have done more precise experiments."

"Even if there is only one radioactive atom, that atom will definitely decay."

"But its decay process no longer follows the law of half-life."

"That is: we cannot predict when this atom will decay."

"There can only be a statistical explanation for the decay behavior of large numbers of atoms."

"At the time, I thought it was because the theory wasn't perfect enough to predict and calculate the decay behavior of individual atoms."

"However, it now seems that perhaps the nature of atomic decay is probabilistic."

"Like probability waves, they are manifestations of the probabilistic behavior of microscopic particles."

"Of course, let me make it clear that I personally hold a neutral attitude towards the probability wave theory."

"As an experimental physicist, I am more concerned about how much the experiments can ultimately prove."

"At least, de Broglie's matter wave theory needs to be proven first."

“Because it’s the basis of wave mechanics, probability waves.”

Wow!
Rutherford's speech shocked everyone.

As a big name in experimental physics, his attitude almost represents the attitude of all experimentalists.

That is to remain "wait and see".

"You theoretical physicists come up with all sorts of wild theories all day long."

"I don't know if it's right or not, and I don't dare to comment on it. I don't have the ability to do so."

“We experimentalists only care about experimental results.”

"You said that electrons have the dual nature of wave and particle. Then prove it to me."

"You said probability waves exist, so prove it to me."

However, everyone still keenly felt that Professor Rutherford should be biased towards Professor Bruce.

Otherwise he wouldn't have raised the half-life question.

Isn’t the randomness of the decay process of a single atom exactly in line with the probability wave theory?

This is a disguised form of proof!

The decay behavior of atoms is actually related to probability waves.

This is a bit scary!
Although the correlation of this evidence is a bit weak, it is still striking enough.

Sure enough, after Rutherford finished speaking, he glanced towards the stage vaguely.

Li Qiwei understood and smiled.

He said:
"According to current atomic theory, the essence of decay is that the nucleus of an atom changes and turns into other elements."

"For example, an atomic nucleus emits a proton and decays into an element with a smaller atomic number."

"The nucleus, the protons and neutrons that make up the nucleus, are all microscopic particles, so they naturally have a probabilistic nature."

"The proton has the dual nature of wave and particle. The process of its separation from the nucleus is actually the difference in its spatial position, which is naturally described by its wave function."

"At the moment of decay, the proton can either leave the nucleus or not, according to the calculation of the wave function."

“It’s all a matter of probability.”

"So, for a single atom, we can't accurately predict how long it will decay."

"But the decay behavior of a large number of atoms can be described statistically."

hiss!
Li Qiwei's analysis is perfect and leak-proof!

He and Rutherford worked together to make the concept of probability waves deeply rooted in people's minds.

Some people even started nodding their heads.

For example, Bohr felt that his mentor's theory, although shocking, was very reasonable.

"Relativity breaks the absolute view of space and time in classical mechanics."

"Quantum mechanics should also be different."

“Its uniqueness lies in breaking cause and effect!”

Bohr had already begun to think about arguing for probability waves.

However, there are very few people like him.

At this moment, Schrödinger, who had been silent all the time, suddenly moved.

He had been in extreme shock since Professor Bruce proposed the probability wave.

Because this view completely overturned his own interpretation of the wave function.

This has also led to a huge change in the physical meaning of the wave equation.

This was something Schrödinger could not accept.

But the man in front of me is too powerful and too great!
The other party is like a god high above, making people dare not look directly at him.

In the field of physics, that man is the only one who can do it!

But even so, Schrödinger still plucked up the courage.

"I love my teacher, but I love the truth more!"

So, he asked:
"Professor Bruce, please forgive my stupidity."

"You said that electrons can be in all positions within an atom at the same time."

“How do you understand this?”

"How can it be both at the same time and in any position?"

"Then I can't help but ask, where is the electron at that moment t?"

"There is only one electron. It can't be at both point A and point B, right?"

Schrödinger's question made everyone nod.

Obviously, this question is also the one that everyone finds the most difficult to understand.

If you say that electron waves are probability waves, everyone can accept it with gritted teeth.

At worst, I can just admit that the world is probabilistic. This actually adds a touch of mysterious vitality to the dull and cold universe.

After all, there are two roads in a yellow wood, and the unknown one is always the best.

But it is really incredible that electrons appear everywhere at the same time.

It's simply unimaginable.

Li Qiwei was deeply moved when he heard this.

The people present were indeed worthy of being the famous bigwigs in history.

Their thoughts have already diverged.

Schrödinger's question goes straight to the heart of the matter!

If you want to answer the other person's question perfectly, you must use the principle of complementarity, the principle of superposition of states, and the collapse of the wave function.

Simply put, if you want to know where the electron is at time t, you must observe it.

Once the electron is observed, it will instantly change from the electron cloud state to the definite state.

That is, from mathematical probability to fact. (It is indeed a bit difficult to understand, don't worry)
But Li Qiwei is not ready to throw these concepts out just yet.

Because the time has not come yet!

However, he could still reply to Schrödinger with some flaws.

"The electron's location is random because of the existence of probability waves."

"This is the conclusion drawn from Born's experiment and the wave equation."

"It's not that I'm just guessing."

"The reason why you think the concepts of 'simultaneous' and 'arbitrary' are contradictory is because you involuntarily regard electrons as particles."

"But electrons are not simply particles. They are a combination of particles and probability waves, like ghosts that permeate the interior of atoms."

"Give me a vivid example."

"It was a huge wave that covered the entire surface of the lake."

"Then can we say that water waves appear at any point on the lake surface at the same time?"

"of course can!"

“The same thing goes for probability waves.”

“In fact, what we should think about more is what the process is like when the electron changes from a probability wave form to landing at a definite position.”

"To be honest, I'm still thinking about it."

“I think there’s some principle behind this.”

Wow!
Li Qiwei's analysis shocked everyone again.

Although this explanation is not absolutely perfect, it is at least logically consistent.

Professor Bruce also admitted that probability wave theory still needs to be improved.

It's not even perfect yet, but it's already so shocking.

No one dares to imagine how amazing the perfected probability wave theory will be!

Li Qiwei said: It's just so-so, but the Copenhagen interpretation will become the Bruce interpretation.

Schrödinger felt very ashamed.

Professor Bruce saw through his little thoughts at a glance.

Yes, in order to refute probability waves, he even used the concept of particles that he had previously rejected.

If we think of electrons as particles, it is indeed impossible to understand how they could appear everywhere at the same time.

It's like how it's possible for one person to be in both Britain and Germany at the same time.

But if we regard the electron as a combination of particle and probability wave, then it makes sense.

Although the electron has a particle side, its probability wave permeates the sky over Europe.

As long as the conditions are right, it can appear in any country in the form of electron particles.

This statement is extremely strange.

But as long as you accept the concept of probability waves, it is quite easy to understand.

The later double-slit interference experiment is actually related to this point.

At this moment, when Heisenberg saw Schrödinger's expression, he rarely felt gloating but distressed.

After all, if it were him, he would have gone crazy by now.

It can be said that the wave function after being transformed by Professor Bruce has nothing to do with Schrödinger.

Probability waves replace the original mechanical waves!

The wave equation also has a new interpretation: the probabilistic interpretation!
After Schrödinger, Planck, Sommerfeld, Lang Zhiwan and others raised questions one after another.

Some questions are even repeated.

The core reason is that people always involuntarily regard electrons as simple particles.

This is a mindset that needs to be completely abandoned!

When discussing the behavior of electrons, we must use the wave-particle duality.

An electron is not a definite substance or state like an apple in the material world.

If you apply a force of 5N to an apple, it will move.

If you remove the force, the apple will come to a stop due to friction.

But electrons are different.

Its movement is governed by probability.

No matter what influence you put on it, the final state is determined by probability.

This is the most essential difference between the two.

Therefore, Li Qiwei repeatedly instilled this concept into the bigwigs present.

But the effect was minimal.

Even bigwigs can hardly avoid fixed mindsets, so you can imagine how shocked and crazy those ordinary scholars would be when they hear about probability waves.

It's like facing Cthulhu!
At this time, Einstein, who had been silent all the time, spoke.

He is probably the person who least acknowledges the probability wave at the scene.

His words pushed the atmosphere on the scene to its climax.

Later it became a classic catchphrase representing this meeting and was talked about by countless people.

"Bruce, do you think God plays dice?"

boom!
Everyone was shocked!
This short sentence instantly resonated strongly with all the big guys on the field!

They are the smartest people in the world's eyes.

Erudite and talented!
They are confident that they can explain everything in the world and control everything in the world.

Flame, lightning, rays.
Everything is a vassal of physics!
Physics represents absolute precision and absolute cause and effect.

Even the theory of relativity does not dare to challenge causality, and thus introduces the concept of relative space and time in order to satisfy the law of causality.

But the probability wave shattered all that!
Quantum mechanics shatters all that!
Einstein's question, which goes straight to the soul, is shocking!
At this moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on the figure on the stage!
In response to Einstein's question, Li Qiwei smiled slightly.

That brilliant smile is brighter than the spring breeze!

Heisenberg and others were stunned by what they saw.

It seemed as if something suddenly bent.

However, the next moment!
An extremely terrifying aura suddenly exploded!
It soared into the sky, almost piercing the clouds.

Countless people were shocked!

"My God!"

"what is that?"

At this moment, Li Qiwei was like a god descending to the earth, and his majesty covered the entire world!
He was not Planck's favorite disciple, not Einstein's close friend, and not Bohr's mentor.

He is the god of physics who reigns supreme! Cold and ruthless!

That tall figure is even more majestic than the starry sky!

Those bright eyes are brighter than the sun!
Swallowing mountains and rivers! Invincible in the world!
I am the only one who is supreme! I stand tall and proud!
Its sound is like thunder from the nine heavens, the profound sound of the great way.

"Einstein, don't tell God what to do!"

boom!
The whole audience was shocked!

(End of this chapter)