... the concept of "position" only makes sense if the position has been detected.What Does It Mean Particles Only Have Location if Measured?
... you put a detector in a random location. If it goes off, then you have just measured stuff about the particle. If it doesn't - then you have some other knowledge about the particle (i.e. it wasn't there) ... you never been on a treasure hunt? How do you locate an easter egg that is hidden?if you don't know where a particle exists, then how can you even measure it?
If you don't know where the particle is, you are still presupposing it's existence. It's existence is an axiom of the problem. No point doing the math for particles that don't exist.And what does it mean they don't normally have location? If not, how do you know they even exist at all?
This refers to the concept in quantum mechanics that particles do not have a definite location until they are observed or measured. The act of measurement causes the particle to "collapse" into a specific location, whereas before it exists in a state of superposition, meaning it can exist in multiple locations simultaneously.
The Heisenberg uncertainty principle states that it is impossible to know both the exact position and momentum of a particle at the same time. This is because the act of measuring one property (e.g. position) will alter the other property (e.g. momentum). This is closely related to the idea that particles only have location if measured, as the measurement process itself affects the particle's properties.
No, particles still exist in a state of superposition before being measured. They simply do not have a definite location until measured. This can be a difficult concept to grasp, as it goes against our everyday experience of objects having a fixed location at all times.
Yes, the principles of quantum mechanics and the idea of particles only having location if measured have led to many technological advancements, such as quantum computing and cryptography. It also has implications in fields such as medicine and chemistry, where understanding the behavior of particles on a small scale is crucial.
Yes, the principles of quantum mechanics have been extensively tested and confirmed through experiments and observations. The famous double-slit experiment, for example, demonstrates the wave-particle duality of particles and their ability to exist in multiple locations at once. This supports the idea that particles only have location if measured.