I was curious, so I went to Wikipedia, as one does.
A notable example of the observer effect occurs in quantum mechanics, as demonstrated by the double-slit experiment. Physicists have found that observation of quantum phenomena by a detector or an instrument can change the measured results of this experiment. Despite the “observer effect” in the double-slit experiment being caused by the presence of an electronic detector, the experiment’s results have been interpreted by some to suggest that a conscious mind can directly affect reality.[3] However, the need for the “observer” to be conscious is not supported by scientific research, and has been pointed out as a misconception rooted in a poor understanding of the quantum wave function ψ and the quantum measurement process
Edit: erhm. this isnt an ad for Wikipedia. the words just shook out that way. lol
If anybody still doesn’t understand, when the wave function collapses, that is called observation. Again, from Wikipedia:
In various interpretations of quantum mechanics, wave function collapse, also called reduction of the state vector, occurs when a wave function—initially in a superposition of several eigenstates—reduces to a single eigenstate due to interaction with the external world. This interaction is called an observation and is the essence of a measurement in quantum mechanics, which connects the wave function with classical observables such as position and momentum.
Physics has this problem with naming things. They use words like “particle”, “observation”, and “spin”, among others, which are words that every English speaker knows, but then they use those words to describe stuff that’s actually only similar to the words everybody knows. This makes physics a lot more approachable for people who know nothing, but then completely confuses people with only a little knowledge.
In general, I agree, but spin is quite surprising in how much like angular momentum and dynamos it behaves. Either way, we don’t know enough about it yet, and it’s at best a coincidence.
Shout-out to floatheadphysics (Mahesh) for his video on spin. The way he steps through the learning process like it’s a conversation with the giants that gave us the knowledge (based on their writings) and how he presents it with all the excitement of “getting it” is cathartic.
There isn’t a scientific definition for “observation.” In the Copenhagen interpretation, it really is treated just as vaguely as the colloquial definition, something the physicist John Bell complained about in his article “Against ‘Measurement’”, that the textbook axioms of quantum mechanics are inherently vague because they refer to “observation” or “measurement” which is not itself defined in the axioms. Saying that observation is just “when the wavefunction collapses” is a circular definition and doesn’t answer anything, because then we can just ask, “when does the wavefunction collapse?” and the only answer the textbook axioms give is “when you observe/measure it.”
I was curious, so I went to Wikipedia, as one does.
Edit: erhm. this isnt an ad for Wikipedia. the words just shook out that way. lol
If anybody still doesn’t understand, when the wave function collapses, that is called observation. Again, from Wikipedia:
Physics has this problem with naming things. They use words like “particle”, “observation”, and “spin”, among others, which are words that every English speaker knows, but then they use those words to describe stuff that’s actually only similar to the words everybody knows. This makes physics a lot more approachable for people who know nothing, but then completely confuses people with only a little knowledge.
My favorite example of this is the use of “stress” and “strain”. In common language they’re synonyms, but in Physics they’re definitely not.
“Theory” is another bad one in all of science. That’s what leads knuckleheads from saying dumb shit like “evolution is just a theory!”
In general, I agree, but spin is quite surprising in how much like angular momentum and dynamos it behaves. Either way, we don’t know enough about it yet, and it’s at best a coincidence.
Shout-out to floatheadphysics (Mahesh) for his video on spin. The way he steps through the learning process like it’s a conversation with the giants that gave us the knowledge (based on their writings) and how he presents it with all the excitement of “getting it” is cathartic.
There isn’t a scientific definition for “observation.” In the Copenhagen interpretation, it really is treated just as vaguely as the colloquial definition, something the physicist John Bell complained about in his article “Against ‘Measurement’”, that the textbook axioms of quantum mechanics are inherently vague because they refer to “observation” or “measurement” which is not itself defined in the axioms. Saying that observation is just “when the wavefunction collapses” is a circular definition and doesn’t answer anything, because then we can just ask, “when does the wavefunction collapse?” and the only answer the textbook axioms give is “when you observe/measure it.”
deleted by creator