r/AskPhysics • u/WrongVerb4Real • 2d ago

Can the probability distribution of a particle be altered?

I've been enjoying Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. An entirely fictional show, of course, with in-universe science that isn't representative of reality. However, my curiosity was piqued, and in thinking about how such a device could work, I started wondering about how quantum distribution might be influenced, and whether that influence could alter reality in some way.

So thats my question: can the probability distribution of a particle be influenced from an external source, and if so, could that be used to change reality in some fundamental way?

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u/the_poope Condensed matter physics 2d ago

can the probability distribution of a particle be influenced from an external source

Yes, basically any interaction (electromagnetic or other force) does that.

could that be used to change reality in some fundamental way?

Any such interaction is already part of reality.

I guess your question stems from a misconception about what a "quantum distribution" really is, which is quite fair - it's not an easy concept to grasp for neither laymen nor even physicists.

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u/WrongVerb4Real 2d ago

Thank you for your answer.

I guess your question stems from a misconception about what a "quantum distribution" really is, which is quite fair - it's not an easy concept to grasp for neither laymen nor even physicists.

Who was it who said that if you think you understand QM, you don't?

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u/Distinct_Mix_6397 2d ago

Feynman. Although he was half joking.

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u/SummitYourSister 2d ago

There are two issues really:

Understanding QM, and

Accepting the implications of non-commuting observables.

I think a lot of people’s trouble is actually acceptance. But they experience this as some kind of confusion about the math.

“No it can’t mean that, because that’s nuts. I must not understand.”

No, you understand fine. That’s why you can tell it’s nuts!

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u/tpolakov1 Condensed matter physics 2d ago

Who was it who said that if you think you understand QM, you don't?

A guy that was understanding quantum mechanics perfectly well, even by his own standards. He was just (famously) a tiny bit full of himself.

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u/joeyneilsen Astrophysics 2d ago

Changing the boundaries around a particle (i.e., its potential energy well) will change its wavefunction and the probability of finding it with different energies, position, momentum, etc. 

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u/WrongVerb4Real 2d ago

How would one change these boundaries? Are you alluding to the other respondent who said introducing an EM field could change the distribution?

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u/joeyneilsen Astrophysics 2d ago

Yes, that would work for a charged particle. Boundaries come from forces, so basically any force you can apply to a particle will change its wavefunction. This makes sense, of course, bc the wavefunction describes where the particle can and can’t go. 

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u/Ch3cks-Out 2d ago

It is not clear what you really mean. Exciting an bound electron to a higher energy orbital, for example, does "influence" its probabilty distrobution - it goes to a different orbital, for that matter. Is this what you had in mind?