Physics:Quantum Interpretations of quantum mechanics - Revision history

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	'''Interpretations of quantum mechanics''' ~~is a Book I topic in~~ the ~~Quantum Collection. The~~ Copenhagen interpretation is the historically earliest and most widely taught interpretation of quantum mechanics. It was developed primarily by Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg in the 1920s~~. In this interpretation, the state of a quantum system is described by a wavefunction \psi, which encodes the probabilities of measurement outcomes~~. Physical quantities do not have definite values prior to measurement; instead, they are defined only in terms of the experimental context. The Copenhagen interpretation is the historically earliest and most widely taught interpretation of quantum mechanics. It was developed primarily by Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg in the 1920s. ~~In this~~ interpretation, the ~~state~~ of a ~~quantum system~~ is described by ~~a wavefunction \psi, which encodes~~ the ~~probabilities of measurement outcomes~~.		'''Interpretations of quantum mechanics''' the Copenhagen interpretation is the historically earliest and most widely taught interpretation of quantum mechanics. It was developed primarily by Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg in the 1920s. Physical quantities do not have definite values prior to measurement; instead, they are defined only in terms of the experimental context. The Copenhagen interpretation is the historically earliest and most widely taught interpretation of quantum mechanics. It was developed primarily by Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg in the 1920s. A central postulate of the Copenhagen interpretation is the collapse of the wavefunction. Upon measurement, the system transitions from a superposition of states to a single outcome: This collapse is not described by the Schrödinger equation and is introduced as an additional postulate.
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	known as the ~~[[Wikipedia:~~Born rule~~\|Born rule]]~~.<ref>{{cite journal \|last=Born \|first=Max \|title=Zur Quantenmechanik der Stoßvorgänge \|journal=Zeitschrift für Physik \|volume=37 \|year=1926}}</ref>		known as the Born rule.<ref>{{cite journal \|last=Born \|first=Max \|title=Zur Quantenmechanik der Stoßvorgänge \|journal=Zeitschrift für Physik \|volume=37 \|year=1926}}</ref>

	== Measurement and collapse ==		== Measurement and collapse ==
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	== Many-worlds ==		== Many-worlds ==
	The '''many-worlds interpretation''' (MWI) of quantum mechanics was proposed by ~~[[Wikipedia:~~Hugh Everett III~~\|Hugh Everett III]]~~ in 1957 as an alternative to the Copenhagen interpretation.<ref>{{cite journal \|last=Everett \|first=Hugh \|title="Relative State" Formulation of Quantum Mechanics \|journal=Reviews of Modern Physics \|volume=29 \|year=1957}}</ref>		The '''many-worlds interpretation''' (MWI) of quantum mechanics was proposed by Hugh Everett III in 1957 as an alternative to the Copenhagen interpretation.<ref>{{cite journal \|last=Everett \|first=Hugh \|title="Relative State" Formulation of Quantum Mechanics \|journal=Reviews of Modern Physics \|volume=29 \|year=1957}}</ref>

	In this interpretation, the wavefunction <math>\psi</math> is taken to be a complete description of reality and evolves at all times according to the Schrödinger equation, without collapse.		In this interpretation, the wavefunction <math>\psi</math> is taken to be a complete description of reality and evolves at all times according to the Schrödinger equation, without collapse.
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	A major question for the many-worlds interpretation is how to recover probabilities, since all outcomes occur.		A major question for the many-worlds interpretation is how to recover probabilities, since all outcomes occur.

	The standard approach is to interpret the coefficients <math>\|c_n\|^2</math> as measures of branch weight, leading effectively to the ~~[[Wikipedia:~~Born rule~~\|Born rule]]~~.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Wallace \|first=David \|title=The Emergent Multiverse \|publisher=Oxford University Press \|year=2012}}</ref>		The standard approach is to interpret the coefficients <math>\|c_n\|^2</math> as measures of branch weight, leading effectively to the Born rule.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Wallace \|first=David \|title=The Emergent Multiverse \|publisher=Oxford University Press \|year=2012}}</ref>

	== Decoherence ==		== Decoherence ==

	The apparent classical behavior of measurement outcomes is explained by ~~[[Wikipedia:Quantum~~ decoherence~~\|decoherence]]~~, which suppresses interference between different branches of the wavefunction.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Schlosshauer \|first=Maximilian \|title=Decoherence and the Quantum-to-Classical Transition \|publisher=Springer \|year=2007}}</ref>		The apparent classical behavior of measurement outcomes is explained by decoherence, which suppresses interference between different branches of the wavefunction.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Schlosshauer \|first=Maximilian \|title=Decoherence and the Quantum-to-Classical Transition \|publisher=Springer \|year=2007}}</ref>

	Decoherence explains why branches evolve independently and why observers do not perceive superpositions at the macroscopic level.		Decoherence explains why branches evolve independently and why observers do not perceive superpositions at the macroscopic level.
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	'''Bohmian mechanics''', also known as the '''pilot-wave theory''' or '''de Broglie–Bohm theory''', is a deterministic interpretation of quantum mechanics in which particles have well-defined positions at all times, guided by a wavefunction.<ref>{{cite journal \|last=Bohm \|first=David \|title=A Suggested Interpretation of the Quantum Theory in Terms of "Hidden" Variables \|journal=Physical Review \|volume=85 \|year=1952}}</ref>		'''Bohmian mechanics''', also known as the '''pilot-wave theory''' or '''de Broglie–Bohm theory''', is a deterministic interpretation of quantum mechanics in which particles have well-defined positions at all times, guided by a wavefunction.<ref>{{cite journal \|last=Bohm \|first=David \|title=A Suggested Interpretation of the Quantum Theory in Terms of "Hidden" Variables \|journal=Physical Review \|volume=85 \|year=1952}}</ref>

	The theory was originally proposed by ~~[[Wikipedia:~~Louis de Broglie~~\|Louis de Broglie]]~~ in 1927 and later developed in detail by ~~[[Wikipedia:David Bohm\|~~David Bohm]].<ref>{{cite book \|last=Holland \|first=Peter R. \|title=The Quantum Theory of Motion \|publisher=Cambridge University Press \|year=1993}}</ref>		The theory was originally proposed by Louis de Broglie in 1927 and later developed in detail by David Bohm.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Holland \|first=Peter R. \|title=The Quantum Theory of Motion \|publisher=Cambridge University Press \|year=1993}}</ref>

	== Deterministic dynamics ==		== Deterministic dynamics ==
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	A key feature of Bohmian mechanics is '''nonlocality'''. The motion of one particle can depend instantaneously on the configuration of other distant particles through the wavefunction.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Bell \|first=John S. \|title=Speakable and Unspeakable in Quantum Mechanics \|publisher=Cambridge University Press \|year=1987}}</ref>		A key feature of Bohmian mechanics is '''nonlocality'''. The motion of one particle can depend instantaneously on the configuration of other distant particles through the wavefunction.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Bell \|first=John S. \|title=Speakable and Unspeakable in Quantum Mechanics \|publisher=Cambridge University Press \|year=1987}}</ref>

	This nonlocality is consistent with ~~[[Wikipedia:Bell's theorem\|~~Bell’s theorem]], which shows that no local hidden-variable theory can reproduce all quantum predictions.		This nonlocality is consistent with Bell’s theorem, which shows that no local hidden-variable theory can reproduce all quantum predictions.

	== Agreement with quantum mechanics ==		== Agreement with quantum mechanics ==
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	Despite these issues, it remains an important alternative interpretation and is widely studied in the foundations of quantum mechanics.		Despite these issues, it remains an important alternative interpretation and is widely studied in the foundations of quantum mechanics.
	== Measurement problem ==		== Measurement problem ==
	The '''measurement problem''' is a central conceptual issue in ~~[[Wikipedia:Quantum mechanics\|~~quantum mechanics]], concerning how and why definite outcomes arise from quantum systems described by superpositions.<ref>{{cite book \|last=von Neumann \|first=John \|title=Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics \|publisher=Princeton University Press \|year=1955}}</ref>		The '''measurement problem''' is a central conceptual issue in quantum mechanics, concerning how and why definite outcomes arise from quantum systems described by superpositions.<ref>{{cite book \|last=von Neumann \|first=John \|title=Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics \|publisher=Princeton University Press \|year=1955}}</ref>

	According to the standard formalism, a system evolves deterministically according to the Schrödinger equation, yet measurements yield single, definite results.		According to the standard formalism, a system evolves deterministically according to the Schrödinger equation, yet measurements yield single, definite results.
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	== Decoherence ==		== Decoherence ==

	~~[[Wikipedia:Quantum decoherence\|~~Decoherence]] provides a partial resolution by explaining how interference between different components of a superposition becomes negligible due to interaction with the environment.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Schlosshauer \|first=Maximilian \|title=Decoherence and the Quantum-to-Classical Transition \|publisher=Springer \|year=2007}}</ref>		Decoherence provides a partial resolution by explaining how interference between different components of a superposition becomes negligible due to interaction with the environment.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Schlosshauer \|first=Maximilian \|title=Decoherence and the Quantum-to-Classical Transition \|publisher=Springer \|year=2007}}</ref>

	Decoherence explains:		Decoherence explains:

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	~~The~~ '''~~Copenhagen interpretation~~''' is the historically earliest and most widely taught interpretation of ~~[[Wikipedia:Quantum mechanics\|~~quantum mechanics]]. It was developed primarily by ~~[[Wikipedia:~~Niels Bohr~~\|Niels Bohr]]~~ and ~~[[Wikipedia:Werner Heisenberg\|~~Werner Heisenberg]] in the 1920s.~~<ref>{{cite book \|last=Heisenberg \|first=Werner \|title=Physics and Philosophy: The Revolution in Modern Science \|publisher=Harper & Row \|year=1958}}</ref>~~		'''Interpretations of quantum mechanics''' is a Book I topic in the Quantum Collection. The Copenhagen interpretation is the historically earliest and most widely taught interpretation of quantum mechanics. It was developed primarily by Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg in the 1920s. In this interpretation, the state of a quantum system is described by a wavefunction \psi, which encodes the probabilities of measurement outcomes. Physical quantities do not have definite values prior to measurement; instead, they are defined only in terms of the experimental context. The Copenhagen interpretation is the historically earliest and most widely taught interpretation of quantum mechanics. It was developed primarily by Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg in the 1920s. In this interpretation, the state of a quantum system is described by a wavefunction \psi, which encodes the probabilities of measurement outcomes.

	In this interpretation, the state of a quantum system is described by a wavefunction ~~<math>~~\psi~~</math>~~, which encodes the probabilities of measurement outcomes. Physical quantities do not have definite values prior to measurement; instead, they are defined only in terms of the experimental context.~~<ref>{{cite book \|last=~~Bohr ~~\|first=Niels \|title=Atomic Theory~~ and the ~~Description~~ of ~~Nature \|publisher=Cambridge University Press \|year=1934}}</ref>~~
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	{{Author\|Harold Foppele}}		{{Author\|Harold Foppele}}

	{{Sourceattribution\|Quantum Interpretations of quantum mechanics\|1}}		{{Sourceattribution\|Physics:Quantum Interpretations of quantum mechanics\|1}}

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