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 realfuzzhead
 
Registered: 03/04/10
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 anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? 
#14463061 - 05/16/11 06:33 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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I know quite a few of us here are familiar with Schrödinger's experiments and the apparent wave/particle duality of microscopic particles, I know alot of us here have a decent understanding of the Qualitative explanations of Quantum Physics but does anyone have a Quantitative understanding of it?
Like does anyone here actually understand the Standard Model? OR the Feynman Diagrams? Or the probability density of particles?
Ive been reading very heavily into Quantum physics, and man it is some HARD SHIT. Common sense has absolutely no place here.. but it is all so interesting. I plan on taking at least some classes that tie into this but I was wondering if anyone here has done this before?
how hard was it?
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 Doc_T
Random Dude
Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: realfuzzhead]
#14463074 - 05/16/11 06:35 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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I wish I did. 
Hope DieCommmie pops in, I want his viewpoint.
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You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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realfuzzhead
Registered: 03/04/10
Posts: 10,721
Loc: above the smog layer
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: Doc_T]
#14463087 - 05/16/11 06:38 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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Like the book im reading, The Universe & the Atom by Don Lichtenburg is an amazing book, and alot of it is about quantum mechanics and what not. But man I have to reread these chapters 2 or 3 times to understand it, and it is mostly qualitative explanations. I can't even imagine trying to crunch actual numbers on this stuff
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DeadHearts
Registered: 07/17/09
Posts: 21,149
Loc: MICHIGAN
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: realfuzzhead]
#14463098 - 05/16/11 06:39 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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Math is some real shit.
I find it easy to "understand" after delving into for days at a time.
But when you are not working with it all day everyday you lose it.
"A brief history of time" breaks things down nicely to where its easier
to grasp all the complicated happenings of theorys that can be so complicated.
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learningtofly
Ancient Aliens
Registered: 05/21/07
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: realfuzzhead]
#14463145 - 05/16/11 06:46 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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you're confusing common sense with intuition 
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mellowparty
legitimate researcher
Registered: 05/17/09
Posts: 17,486
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: realfuzzhead]
#14463188 - 05/16/11 06:56 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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I know that tiny particles can behave as waves but thats about it really 
Now this kinda stuff is easier to understand:
Looks pretty too 
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DeadHearts
Registered: 07/17/09
Posts: 21,149
Loc: MICHIGAN
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: mellowparty]
#14463194 - 05/16/11 06:57 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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Something that blows my fucking mind is the apparent fact that matter reacts
differently when its being observed.
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Eshu
Sean.
Registered: 06/27/10
Posts: 2,139
Loc: USA
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: mellowparty]
#14463198 - 05/16/11 06:58 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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Quantum Physics fascinates me.
But has me lost all at the same time.
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~^*>~.Life is the hyphen between matter and spirit.~^*>~
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aNeway2sayHooray
Cresley Wusher
Registered: 07/07/05
Posts: 7,270
Loc: Orphic Trench
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: Eshu]
#14463205 - 05/16/11 06:59 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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Quote:
Eshu said:
Quantum Physics fascinates me.
But has me lost all at the same time.
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Mad_Larkin said: Death is just a thang.
MrJellineck said: Profits, prophets. That's all you jews think about.
sheekle said: life is drugs... and music... and cat... 
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BoneMan
Shrimpin ain't easy
Registered: 02/09/05
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: DeadHearts]
#14463214 - 05/16/11 07:02 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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Quote:
DeadHearts said:
Something that blows my fucking mind is the apparent fact that matter reacts
differently when its being observed.
thats a common misconception.. see, in order to observe sub-atomic particles you can't just use a super microscope with an enormous lens or something. quantum physics papers use the term "observe" so loosely and usually fail to explain that in order to observe what the particles are doing, they need to use a detector that necessarily interacts with the particle in some way, most likely being hit by a laser or something. its definitely not just watching that changes the result. the "watching" in this case, involves touching the waves/particles with a detection instrument.
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Caine
On the Wings of Maybe
Registered: 01/25/10
Posts: 3,851
Loc: NE
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: Eshu]
#14463216 - 05/16/11 07:02 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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The problem with gaining a quantitative understanding of quantum physics is that you have to get far more specific than just "quantum physics," people spend years trying to prove a single theory, and they reference tons and tons of previous work that even the peer review board probably has to look up a good portion of.
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CaptainAhab
Registered: 12/25/09
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Last seen: 13 hours, 3 minutes
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: learningtofly]
#14463220 - 05/16/11 07:03 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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No one can explain quantum physics to you on here, I'm afraid.
If you're genuinely interested, though, a good place to start would be by reading Feynman's Lectures on Physics, and then moving on.
To understand quantum physics, you have to understand other topics, first. Feynman's Lectures on Physics books are arranged sequentially for that purpose.
Here's a quote from wikipedia on the issue:
"The first volume focuses on mechanics, radiation, and heat. The second volume is mainly on electromagnetism and matter. The third volume, on quantum mechanics..."
I have pdf's of the different volumes, if you want me to send them to you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feynman%27s_Lectures_on_Physics
The wave-particle duality you're referring to can be derived from calculus-based equations. You have taken calculus, right?
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BoneMan
Shrimpin ain't easy
Registered: 02/09/05
Posts: 2,032
Loc: new new england
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: BoneMan]
#14463234 - 05/16/11 07:06 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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check out the book "the fabric of the cosmos" by brian greene. he does the best job possible at explaining quantum physics, relativity, and other scientific weirdness to non-scientist lay-persons. he's got another book called "the elegant universe" which I haven't read but he's been a professor of physics and mathematics at Colombia University since 1996.
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millzy
Registered: 05/12/10
Posts: 6,709
Last seen: 14 hours, 29 minutes
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: Caine]
#14463240 - 05/16/11 07:07 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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i have a family member who is fairly prominent in the physics community. they played a pretty significant role in texas's super collider project and fraternizes with nobel laureates on the reg. really interesting person to sit and have a conversation with over a glass or four of wine. as for me i don't have the mind for math to truly comprehend anything beyond the simpler concepts that my relative or a documentary can show me.
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It is sometimes an appropriate response to reality to go insane.- Philip K. Dick
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DeadHearts
Registered: 07/17/09
Posts: 21,149
Loc: MICHIGAN
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: BoneMan]
#14463256 - 05/16/11 07:11 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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Quote:
BoneMan said:
Quote:
DeadHearts said:
Something that blows my fucking mind is the apparent fact that matter reacts
differently when its being observed.
thats a common misconception.. see, in order to observe sub-atomic particles you can't just use a super microscope with an enormous lens or something. quantum physics papers use the term "observe" so loosely and usually fail to explain that in order to observe what the particles are doing, they need to use a detector that necessarily interacts with the particle in some way, most likely being hit by a laser or something. its definitely not just watching that changes the result. the "watching" in this case, involves touching the waves/particles with a detection instrument.
I feel like a child posting this but whatever.
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Doc_T
Random Dude
Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: mellowparty]
#14463258 - 05/16/11 07:11 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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Quote:
mellowparty said:
I know that tiny particles can behave as waves but thats about it really
With several years of math that I don't have, and a couple years of physics I also don't have,
apparently you can tell when the light is likely to be a wave vs particle, and where it will be when it is either one.
Which is interesting and all, but not something I would get much use out of.
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You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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realfuzzhead
Registered: 03/04/10
Posts: 10,721
Loc: above the smog layer
Last seen: 8 days, 14 hours
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: DeadHearts]
#14463261 - 05/16/11 07:12 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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Quote:
DeadHearts said:
Something that blows my fucking mind is the apparent fact that matter reacts
differently when its being observed.
yeah but this has a different meaning than what most people think. Its not the fact that me, having concsiousness, observing smoething happening changes something that is happening, it is that since to observe something I must shine light on what im observing and therefor interact with it, me interacting with it changes the results
and The elegant Universe is neext on my "To-read" list.
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learningtofly
Ancient Aliens
Registered: 05/21/07
Posts: 15,105
Loc: Out of this world
Last seen: 1 year, 9 months
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: Doc_T]
#14463268 - 05/16/11 07:13 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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Quote:
Doc_T said:
Quote:
mellowparty said:
I know that tiny particles can behave as waves but thats about it really
With several years of math that I don't have, and a couple years of physics I also don't have,
apparently you can tell when the light is likely to be a wave vs particle, and where it will be when it is either one.
Which is interesting and all, but not something I would get much use out of.
understanding the world around us is always useful
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realfuzzhead
Registered: 03/04/10
Posts: 10,721
Loc: above the smog layer
Last seen: 8 days, 14 hours
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: learningtofly]
#14463276 - 05/16/11 07:15 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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and no calculus yet, im just a freshman. Next year though..
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CaptainAhab
Registered: 12/25/09
Posts: 1,815
Last seen: 13 hours, 3 minutes
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Re: anyone here actually understand Quantum Physics? [Re: millzy]
#14463280 - 05/16/11 07:16 PM (2 years, 6 days ago) |
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My physics prof is a particle physicist who's worked at the LHC -- Large Hadron Collider -- and CERN. He also helped design the particle accelerator they use at CERN. He gave us the Feynman books to understand quantum mechanics.
Read the Feynman books.
Love the Feynman books.
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