Gao, Shan (2013) Protective Measurement and the Meaning of the Wave Function. [Preprint]

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Abstract

This article analyzes the implications of protective measurement for the meaning of the wave function. According to protective measurement, the mass and charge of a charged quantum system are distributed in space, and the mass and charge density in each position is proportional to the modulus squared of the wave function of the system there. It is argued that the mass and charge distributions are not real but effective; they are formed by the ergodic motion of a localized particle with the total mass and charge of the system. Moreover, the ergodic motion is arguably discontinuous and random. Based on this result, we suggest that the wave function in quantum mechanics describes the state of random discontinuous motion of particles, and at a deeper level, it represents the property of the particles that determines their random discontinuous motion. In particular, the modulus squared of the wave function (in position space) gives the probability density of the particles being in certain positions in space.

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• Protective Measurement and the Meaning of the Wave Function. (deposited 03 Aug 2011 09:34)
  • Protective Measurement and the Meaning of the Wave Function. (deposited 06 Jan 2013 21:18)[Currently Displayed]

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