The Arrow Of Time In Quantum Measurement

The irreversible process of ‘wave packet collapse’ in quantum measurement contradicts the reversible characteristics of the Schrödinger equation and the entire quantum mechanics. This contradiction is actually the origin of measurement problems in quantum mechanics. How to resolve this contradiction is related to the understanding of some philosophical concepts. The Copenhagen School embraces the reversible/irreversible contradictions in quantum measurement through the principle of complementarity. Both von Neumann's measurement hypothesis and Everett's many world explanation adhere to the ‘universal position of the Schrödinger equation’, but due to their detachment from the thermodynamic mechanism analysis of quantum measurement processes, they fall into the dilemma of subjectivism or possible state materialization in ontology. Decoherence theory is a natural extension of dissipative structure theory in quantum mechanics, which helps to solve quantum measurement problems by combining the study of classical conversion mechanisms between reversibility and irreversibility in statistical mechanics. Due to the common statistical roots of the time arrow problem in classical mechanics and quantum mechanics, decoherence theory cannot be seen as a measurement theory that fully implements the ‘universal Schrödinger position’. Many contradictions in quantum mechanics may need to be cleverly resolved through various contradictions in classical physics.

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Publication Details

Journal
IOSR Journal of Applied Physics
Published
2024-12-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.9790/4861-1606013948
Primary Topic
Quantum Mechanics and Applications
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

The Arrow Of Time In Quantum Measurement

WU Xin-zhong
IOSR Journal of Applied Physics
Quantum Mechanics and Applications
article

The Arrow Of Time In Quantum Measurement

WU Xin-zhong
article en

Abstract

The irreversible process of ‘wave packet collapse’ in quantum measurement contradicts the reversible characteristics of the Schrödinger equation and the entire quantum mechanics. This contradiction is actually the origin of measurement problems in quantum mechanics. How to resolve this contradiction is related to the understanding of some philosophical concepts. The Copenhagen School embraces the reversible/irreversible contradictions in quantum measurement through the principle of complementarity. Both von Neumann's measurement hypothesis and Everett's many world explanation adhere to the ‘universal position of the Schrödinger equation’, but due to their detachment from the thermodynamic mechanism analysis of quantum measurement processes, they fall into the dilemma of subjectivism or possible state materialization in ontology. Decoherence theory is a natural extension of dissipative structure theory in quantum mechanics, which helps to solve quantum measurement problems by combining the study of classical conversion mechanisms between reversibility and irreversibility in statistical mechanics. Due to the common statistical roots of the time arrow problem in classical mechanics and quantum mechanics, decoherence theory cannot be seen as a measurement theory that fully implements the ‘universal Schrödinger position’. Many contradictions in quantum mechanics may need to be cleverly resolved through various contradictions in classical physics.

IOSR Journal of Applied PhysicsVol. 16(6)
Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 77%
Quantum Mechanics and Applications
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