Can a falling tree make a noise in two forests at the same time?

dc.creatorSteinberg, Aephraim M.
dc.date1997-10-21
dc.date1997-10-26
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T06:14:29Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T06:14:29Z
dc.descriptionIt is a commonplace to claim that quantum mechanics supports the old idea that a tree falling in a forest makes no sound unless there is a listener present. In fact, this conclusion is far from obvious. Furthermore, if a tunnelling particle is observed in the barrier region, it collapses to a state in which it is no longer tunnelling. Does this imply that while tunnelling, the particle can not have any physical effects? I argue that this is not the case, and moreover, speculate that it may be possible for a particle to have effects on two spacelike separate apparatuses simultaneously. I discuss the measurable consequences of such a feat, and speculate about possible statistical tests which could distinguish this view of quantum mechanics from a ``corpuscular'' one. Brief remarks are made about an experiment underway at Toronto to investigate these issues.
dc.description9 pp, Latex, 3 figs, to appear in Proc. Obsc. Unr. Conf.; Fig 2 postscript repaired on 26.10.97
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9710046
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9710046
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/93480
dc.subjectQuantum Physics
dc.subjectAtomic Physics
dc.titleCan a falling tree make a noise in two forests at the same time?
dc.typetext

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