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Main Author: Zuo, Zhihong
Format: Preprint
Published: 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2104.05594
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author Zuo, Zhihong
author_facet Zuo, Zhihong
contents In this paper, we present a thought experiment that demonstrates that the equivalence of quantum reduced states and statistical mixed states of ensembles is not merely a simple mathematical formulation in quantum mechanics, but rather possesses profound physical underpinnings. Based on the equivalence, we give a possible solution to the quantum measurement problem. We describe quantum measurement process as two-step physical process: one microscopically controllable process which generates an entanglement between the system being measured and a marking system (or property), and one macroscopic process (uncontrollable microscopically) which detects states (or properties) of the marking system. With the solution, we conclude that the measurement postulate is just a corollary of the completeness of quantum states. Our solution is entirely rooted in the traditional formalism of quantum mechanics, requiring no extensions or modifications to it. We also point out that quantum randomness originates from entanglement, and the collapse of the wave function is a subjective process.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2104_05594
institution arXiv
publishDate 2021
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The measurement problem and the completeness of quantum states
Zuo, Zhihong
Quantum Physics
In this paper, we present a thought experiment that demonstrates that the equivalence of quantum reduced states and statistical mixed states of ensembles is not merely a simple mathematical formulation in quantum mechanics, but rather possesses profound physical underpinnings. Based on the equivalence, we give a possible solution to the quantum measurement problem. We describe quantum measurement process as two-step physical process: one microscopically controllable process which generates an entanglement between the system being measured and a marking system (or property), and one macroscopic process (uncontrollable microscopically) which detects states (or properties) of the marking system. With the solution, we conclude that the measurement postulate is just a corollary of the completeness of quantum states. Our solution is entirely rooted in the traditional formalism of quantum mechanics, requiring no extensions or modifications to it. We also point out that quantum randomness originates from entanglement, and the collapse of the wave function is a subjective process.
title The measurement problem and the completeness of quantum states
topic Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2104.05594