Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Preface
- Part I A Nonmathematical Exposition of Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Field Theory
- 1 It’s All Fields and Waves
- 2 How Fields Generate Particles
- 3 Jumpy Detectors
- 4 Nonlocality
- 5 Alternative Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics
- 6 Decoherence and Collapse
- 7 Quantum Mechanics and Our View of Reality
- 8 Quantum Mechanics and Technology
- Key Points
- Part II Basic Results of Quantum Mechanics
- Part III A Short Course in Quantum Field Theory
- Part IV Mathematical Considerations of Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics
- Part V Decoherence, Spontaneous Coherence, and Spontaneous Collapse
- Appendix A Summary of quantum interpretations
- Index
3 - Jumpy Detectors
from Part I - A Nonmathematical Exposition of Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Field Theory
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 May 2024
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Preface
- Part I A Nonmathematical Exposition of Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Field Theory
- 1 It’s All Fields and Waves
- 2 How Fields Generate Particles
- 3 Jumpy Detectors
- 4 Nonlocality
- 5 Alternative Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics
- 6 Decoherence and Collapse
- 7 Quantum Mechanics and Our View of Reality
- 8 Quantum Mechanics and Technology
- Key Points
- Part II Basic Results of Quantum Mechanics
- Part III A Short Course in Quantum Field Theory
- Part IV Mathematical Considerations of Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics
- Part V Decoherence, Spontaneous Coherence, and Spontaneous Collapse
- Appendix A Summary of quantum interpretations
- Index
Summary
This chapter discusses what we mean by particle detectors and “quantum jumps.” Modern results are presented that show that particle detection is not instantaneous, and that the photoelectric effect does not prove the existence of particles; it is a purely wavelike effect. The Born rule for random clicks of measurements in detectors is introduced and discussed, and quantum “uncertainty” is introduced.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Interpreting Quantum MechanicsModern Foundations, pp. 35 - 47Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2024