The Quantum Divide

Why Schrödinger's Cat is Either Dead or Alive

Christopher C. Gerry, Kimberley M. Bruno (Autoren)

Buch | Hardcover

212 Seiten

2013
Oxford University Press (Verlag)
978-0-19-966656-0 (ISBN)

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A semi-popular account of quantum physics based primarily on optical experiments performed over the past three decades. The book discusses how and where one can draw the border between the quantum and classical worlds, or indeed whether a border needs to be drawn at all.

Using a selection of key experiments performed over the past 30 years or so, we present a discussion of the strikingly counter-intuitive phenomena of the quantum world that defy explanation in terms of everyday "common sense" reasoning, and we provide the corresponding quantum mechanical explanations with a very elementary use of associated formalism. Most, but certainly not all, of the experiments we describe are optical experiments involving a very small number of photons (particles of light). We begin with experiments on the wave-particle duality of electrons, proceed to experiments on the particle nature of light and single photon interference, delayed choice experiments and interaction-free detection, then go on to experiments involving the interference of two photons, quantum entanglement and Bell's Theorem, quantum teleportation, large-scale quantum effects and the divide between the classical and quantum worlds, addressing the question as to whether or not there is such a divide.

Christopher Gerry is Professor of Physics at Lehman College, The City University of New York, where his areas of research include theoretical quantum optics, quantum information theory, quantum metrology and sensing, and group theoretical methods in quantum optics and quantum theory in general. Kimberley Bruno is Vice Principal of Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design, Brooklyn, New York.

1. Physics Fundamentalism ; 2. The Duality of Particles and Waves: The Split Personality of Electrons ; 3. The Duality of Particles and Waves: Photons ; 4. More Fun With Photons: Photon Splitting and its Uses ; 5. Entanglement and Non-Locality: Spooky Actions at a Distance ; 6. Quantum Information, Quantum Cryptography, and Quantum Teleportation ; 7. Schrodinger's Cat and Leggett's SQUID: Quantum Effects on a Large Scale? ; 8. Quantum Philosophy ; Appendix A: A Quantum Mechanics Timeline ; Appendix B: Quantum Mechanics Experiments for Undergraduates

Erscheint lt. Verlag	21.2.2013
Zusatzinfo	62 b/w illustrations
Verlagsort	Oxford
Sprache	englisch
Maße	147 x 218 mm
Gewicht	422 g
Themenwelt	Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Natur / Technik
	Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Atom- / Kern- / Molekularphysik
	Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Optik
	Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Quantenphysik
ISBN-10	0-19-966656-3 / 0199666563
ISBN-13	978-0-19-966656-0 / 9780199666560
Zustand	Neuware