this post was submitted on 23 Feb 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] cynar@lemmy.world 72 points 1 week ago (35 children)

This sort of comic always bugs me. Observation in QM is not the same as observation in layman terms.

Best think of it as hit it and watch the pieces fly. When you get small enough, you can't approximate out the impacts. It's akin to studying road traffic by sending an overloaded freight truck the wrong way and counting tires that hit the verge. It might also affect the current traffic's motion.

[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago (7 children)

Tbh, I think no one who hasn’t solved the Schrödinger equation at least once (at least time independent), should be allowed to talk about quantum.

Like, the uncertainty principle is really really fucking cool when you understand why it works mathematically. But without differential equations and linear algebra, I don’t think it’s possible to really conceptualize what’s going on in quantum.

Idk, I always try to explain to students the deficiencies of the Bohr model and explain the significance of the electron cloud, but probability is hard.

One of my favorite things in quantum was deriving the “quantum numbers” they have you memorize in chemistry (if you don’t remember, you probably got a SPeeDy F) It’s beautiful to watch the way they emerge from the second order diff eq.

[–] pcalau12i@lemmygrad.ml 1 points 16 hours ago

I don't think solving the Schrodinger equation really gives you a good idea of why quantum mechanics is even interesting. You also shouldstudy very specific applications of it where it yields counterintuitive outcomes to see why it is interesting, such as in the GHZ experiment.

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