Quantum mechanics based on real numbers: A consistent description
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arXiv
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
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| _version_ | 1866910888564359168 |
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| author | Hita, Pedro Barrios Trushechkin, Anton Kampermann, Hermann Epping, Michael Bruß, Dagmar |
| author_facet | Hita, Pedro Barrios Trushechkin, Anton Kampermann, Hermann Epping, Michael Bruß, Dagmar |
| contents | Complex numbers play a crucial role in quantum mechanics. However, their necessity remains debated: whether they are fundamental or merely convenient. Recently, it was claimed that quantum mechanics based on real numbers can be experimentally falsified in the sense that any real-number formulation of quantum mechanics either becomes inconsistent with multipartite experiments or violates certain postulates. In this article we show that a physically motivated postulate about composite quantum systems allows to construct quantum mechanics based on real numbers that reproduces predictions for all multipartite quantum experiments. Thus, we argue that real-valued quantum mechanics cannot be falsified, and therefore the use of complex numbers is a matter of convenience. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_17307 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Quantum mechanics based on real numbers: A consistent description Hita, Pedro Barrios Trushechkin, Anton Kampermann, Hermann Epping, Michael Bruß, Dagmar Quantum Physics Complex numbers play a crucial role in quantum mechanics. However, their necessity remains debated: whether they are fundamental or merely convenient. Recently, it was claimed that quantum mechanics based on real numbers can be experimentally falsified in the sense that any real-number formulation of quantum mechanics either becomes inconsistent with multipartite experiments or violates certain postulates. In this article we show that a physically motivated postulate about composite quantum systems allows to construct quantum mechanics based on real numbers that reproduces predictions for all multipartite quantum experiments. Thus, we argue that real-valued quantum mechanics cannot be falsified, and therefore the use of complex numbers is a matter of convenience. |
| title | Quantum mechanics based on real numbers: A consistent description |
| topic | Quantum Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.17307 |