PHYSICS OF THE UNIVERSE

(PH1920)

Quantum Mechanics

Dr Richard Howl
[email protected]
1925
Nicolaus Copernicus Aristarchus
(1514-1543) 280 BC
What the?
 Locality
F
F

c
 Realism

(There is a reality to the world irrespective of how we try to observe it.)

(measurement outcomes are well-defined prior to and independent of the measurements.)
Realism
Realism
 Classical Mechanics

Realism
The object existed in a particular position/momentum before I measured it –
there is a reality that exists with definite properties even when not being
looked at.

(The position/momentum of the object could have been affected by my measurement,

but even so, the object still existed with a particular position/momentum before I
measured it, I just can’t know precisely what that was.)

(More generally: measurement outcomes are well-defined prior to and independent of the actual measurements
- there is pre-existence of physical properties.)
 Locality
Realism

(no local hidden variables)

Locality
 Interpretations
• Copenhagen

• Many worlds (Everettian)

• Relational Quantum Mechanics

• Bohm (de Broglie)

• QBism …..
 Copenhagen
Quantum Mechanics = you can’t measure the particular
values of all the attributes (e.g. position and momentum) that an
object has to 100% precision (because my measuring device always
affects the values of the attributes).

Mermin: "It is a fundamental quantum doctrine that a measurement

does not, in general, reveal a pre-existing value of the measured
property. On the contrary, the outcome of a measurement is
brought into being by the act of measurement itself..."

(‘Reality’ is only through observation)

 Copenhagen

Realism 
Principle of locality ✓
Deterministic 
Classical Mechanics
Classical Mechanics

Deterministic
(Copenhagen) Quantum Mechanics

Deterministic
(Copenhagen) Quantum Mechanics

Bohr: "Einstein, stop telling God

Deterministic what to do!"

Einstein: "God does not play dice!"

Einstein: “Do you really believe the moon is not there when you are not looking at it?”

Jordan: “Observations don’t just disturb what has to be measured, they produce it….
We compel [the electron] to assume a definite position…..”
 Bell Experiments

No local hidden variables

(no local realism)

“If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don't

understand quantum mechanics!” Richard Feynman
The Mathematics!
“Shut up and calculate!” N. David Mermin
What is it good for?
 What is it good for?
First quantum revolution: technologies that rely upon quantum effects e.g.
wave-particle duality, photoelectric effect etc.
Lasers, LEDs, Transistors, Microprocessors (thus computers, smartphones etc.),
GPS (atomic clocks), photocopiers, flash memory chips, solar cells, electron
microscopes, ….. - > the Modern World!

Second quantum revolution: Quantum technology

Fundamental antirealism/non-locality at the heart of new technologies!
Quantum computers, Quantum cryptography, Quantum sensors etc.
GR + QM = ???
 1589:
Galileo’s 1905:
mass Einstein’s
experiment Special
Relativity 1915:
Einstein’s
General
1700 1800 1900 Relativity 2000

1687: 1824: Carnot’s 1873: Maxwell’s

Newton’s “Reflections on ‘A Treatise on
‘Principia’ the Motive Electricity and
Newtonian Power of Fire” Magnetism’
mechanics Thermodynamics Electromagnetism

1543:
Copernicus’
heliocentrism
model
1808: Dalton’s 1870’s:
'A New System Boltzmann’s
of Chemical “Lectures on Gas
Philosophy’ Theory” (published
Atomic Theory 1896)
Statistical
Mechanics
 1589: Black body radiation experiments
Galileo’s 1802: Wollaston 1905:
mass sees spectral Einstein’s
experiment lines in sunlight 1877: Boltzmann Special
(mathematically?) Relativity 1915:
1859: Kirchhoff’s discretizes energy Einstein’s
definition of General
1700 1800 a ‘black body’ 1900 Relativity 2000

1687: 1824: Carnot’s 1873: Maxwell’s

Newton’s “Reflections on ‘A Treatise on
‘Principia’ the Motive Electricity and
Newtonian Power of Fire” Magnetism’
mechanics Thermodynamics Electromagnetism

1543:
Copernicus’ 1887:
heliocentrism Hertz observes
model photoelectric
1808: Dalton’s 1870’s:
'A New System Boltzmann’s effect
of Chemical “Lectures on Gas
Philosophy’ Theory” (published
1896:
Atomic Theory 1896)
Marie Curie
Statistical
and Henri
Mechanics
Becquerel’s
radioactivity
 1589: Black body radiation experiments 1924: de Broglie’s
Galileo’s 1802: Wollaston 1905: wave-particle
mass sees spectral Einstein’s duality
experiment lines in sunlight 1877: Boltzmann Special
(mathematically?) Relativity 1915:
1859: Kirchhoff’s discretizes energy Einstein’s
definition of General
1700 1800 a ‘black body’ 1900 Relativity 2000

1687: 1824: Carnot’s 1873: Maxwell’s 1900:

Newton’s “Reflections on ‘A Treatise on Plank’s
‘Principia’ the Motive Electricity and black-body
Newtonian Power of Fire” Magnetism’ radiation law:
mechanics Thermodynamics Electromagnetism (Matter as
oscillators) 1913:
1543: Bohr model
Copernicus’ of atom
1887:
heliocentrism Hertz observes
model 1922: Stern-Gerlach
1808: Dalton’s 1870’s: photoelectric
experiment
'A New System Boltzmann’s effect
1905:
of Chemical “Lectures on Gas Einstein’s
Philosophy’ Theory” (published 1923: Compton scattering
1896: light quanta
Atomic Theory 1896) experiment
Marie Curie (photons)
Statistical
and Henri
Mechanics
Becquerel’s
radioactivity ‘old quantum theory’
 1589: Black body radiation experiments 1924: de Broglie’s
Galileo’s 1802: Wollaston 1905: wave-particle 1928:
1972-
mass sees spectral Einstein’s Bell
duality Dirac equation
experiment lines in sunlight 1877: Boltzmann Special 1926: experiments
(mathematically?) Relativity 1915: Born rule 1926:
1859: Kirchhoff’s discretizes energy Einstein’s
Schrödinger
definition of General
1700 1800 a ‘black body’ 1900 Relativity
equation 2000

1687: 1824: Carnot’s 1873: Maxwell’s 1900: 1932:

Newton’s ‘A Treatise on 1927: von Neumann's
“Reflections on Plank’s Davisson-
‘Principia’ the Motive Electricity and black-body ‘Mathematical
Newtonian Magnetism’ Germer Foundations of
Power of Fire” radiation law: experiment
mechanics Thermodynamics Electromagnetism (Matter as Quantum
oscillators) 1913:
1925: Mechanics’
Bohr model Matrix mechanics
1543:
Copernicus’ of atom
1887: 1927: 1964:
heliocentrism Hertz observes Heisenberg’s Bell’s theorem
model 1922: Stern-Gerlach
1808: Dalton’s 1870’s: photoelectric uncertainty
experiment
'A New System Boltzmann’s effect relation
1905:
of Chemical “Lectures on Gas Einstein’s
Philosophy’ Theory” (published 1923: Compton scattering 1930:
1896: light quanta
Atomic Theory 1896) experiment Dirac’s ‘The Principles of
Marie Curie (photons)
Statistical Quantum Mechanics’
and Henri
Mechanics
Becquerel’s
radioactivity ‘old quantum theory’ 1927:
Salvay Conference on Physics
 1589: Black body radiation experiments 1924: de Broglie’s
Galileo’s 1802: Wollaston 1905: wave-particle 1928:
1972-
mass sees spectral Einstein’s Bell
duality Dirac equation
experiment lines in sunlight 1877: Boltzmann Special 1926: experiments
(mathematically?) Relativity 1915: Born rule 1926:
1859: Kirchhoff’s discretizes energy Einstein’s
Schrödinger
definition of General Quantum
1700 1800 a ‘black body’ 1900 Relativity
equation
field theory 2000

1687: 1824: Carnot’s 1873: Maxwell’s 1900: 1932: Quantum

Newton’s ‘A Treatise on 1927: von Neumann's information
“Reflections on Plank’s Davisson-
‘Principia’ the Motive Electricity and black-body ‘Mathematical theory
Newtonian Magnetism’ Germer Foundations of
Power of Fire” radiation law: experiment
mechanics Thermodynamics Electromagnetism (Matter as Quantum
oscillators) 1913:
1925: Mechanics’
Bohr model Matrix mechanics
1543:
Copernicus’ of atom
1887: 1927: 1964:
heliocentrism Hertz observes Heisenberg’s Bell’s theorem
model 1922: Stern-Gerlach
1808: Dalton’s 1870’s: photoelectric uncertainty
experiment
'A New System Boltzmann’s effect relation
1905:
of Chemical “Lectures on Gas Einstein’s
Philosophy’ Theory” (published 1923: Compton scattering 1930:
1896: light quanta
Atomic Theory 1896) experiment Dirac’s ‘The Principles of
Marie Curie (photons)
Statistical Quantum Mechanics’
and Henri
Mechanics
Becquerel’s
radioactivity ‘old quantum theory’ 1927:
Salvay Conference on Physics
 1589: Black body radiation experiments 1924: de Broglie’s
Galileo’s 1905: wave-particle
mass Einstein’s duality
experiment Special
Relativity 1915:
1859: Kirchhoff’s Einstein’s
definition of General
1700 1800 a ‘black body’ 1900 Relativity 2000

1687: 1824: Carnot’s 1873: Maxwell’s 1900:

Newton’s “Reflections on ‘A Treatise on Plank’s
‘Principia’ the Motive Electricity and black-body
Newtonian Power of Fire” Magnetism’ radiation law:
mechanics Thermodynamics Electromagnetism (Matter as
oscillators) 1913:
1543: Bohr model
Copernicus’ of atom
1887:
heliocentrism Hertz observes
model 1922: Stern-Gerlach
1808: Dalton’s 1870’s: photoelectric
experiment
'A New System Boltzmann’s effect
1905:
of Chemical “Lectures on Gas Einstein’s
Philosophy’ Theory” (published 1923: Compton scattering
1896: light quanta
Atomic Theory 1896) experiment
Marie Curie (photons)
Statistical
and Henri
Mechanics
Becquerel’s
radioactivity ‘old quantum theory’
PHYSICS OF THE UNIVERSE
(PH1920)

Quantum Mechanics