Gravity leaps into quantum world

[thinktank2]

Gravity leaps into quantum world
Researchers finally measure the subtle quantum effects of fourth fundamental force.

http://www.nature.com/nsu/020114/020114-8.html


I find this quite Intriguing ...

By following the progress of hundreds of ultracold neutrons (UCNs) falling from the top of the detector to the bottom, the team found that the particles exist only at certain heights. "They do not move continuously, but rather jump from one height to another as quantum theory predicts," says Nesvizhevsky.

[Shawn N]

[STT]

o that's awesome. Thx for sharing that...

[Guv]

There are those who suggest that time and/or space are quantized, which might explain some quantum weirdness, particularly the discontinuous paths taken by quantum particles.

Another suggestion is that quantum entities depart and arrive as particles, but travel as waves. This might explain why a quantum particle can jump discontinuously from point A to point B. It is a particle when you observe it, but a wave while it is moving.

[NotLKH]

Originally posted by Guv
There are those who suggest that time and/or space are quantized, which might explain some quantum weirdness, particularly the discontinuous paths taken by quantum particles.

Another suggestion is that quantum entities depart and arrive as particles, but travel as waves. This might explain why a quantum particle can jump discontinuously from point A to point B. It is a particle when you observe it, but a wave while it is moving.

Hows this for a question:
If quantum particles can't exist in certain areas of space under the conditions as set in the experiment, thus resulting in the discontinuous path, then could an alternate viewpoint be that "Space" doesn't exist at the points of Observed discontinuity?

BTW, I wonder if they were able to detect a Time Differential between the Time a particle reached the bottom of one area of transitional space, and when it appeared at the top of the next transitional area of space.

Propably that is beyond their measuring capabilities, but perhaps not. They've been able to show Particles performing Quantum Tunneling tunnel faster than c, so it might be possible to detect the time interval from one band to the next.

[Guv]

NotLKH: The following seems like another way of saying that space is quantized.

If quantum particles can't exist in certain areas of space under the conditions as set in the experiment, thus resulting in the discontinuous path, then could an alternate viewpoint be that "Space" doesn't exist at the points of Observed discontinuity?

[STT]

yes, maybe somehow space-time geometry is "relative" at those scales to different quantum particles. Maybe there might be hidden time dimensions also... just a thought.

[simonm]

If quantum particles can't exist in certain areas of space under the conditions as set in the experiment, thus resulting in the discontinuous path, then could an alternate viewpoint be that "Space" doesn't exist at the points of Observed discontinuity?

I'm not so sure...Isn't it because the probability amplitudes, at those particular points, cancel out completely? Or is that just saying the same thing...

[NotLKH]

Originally posted by Guv
NotLKH: The following seems like another way of saying that space is quantized.

Once you pointed that out, and I had reread your previous post, ie... There are those who suggest that time and/or space are quantized, which might explain some quantum weirdness, particularly the discontinuous paths taken by quantum particles
I came to the conclusion that, in a way, i had repeated what you had said.

However, now that its been brought up again, and I glanced at this:
http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=quantum

I'm now not in agreement with the "Quantized Space" relation you suggested my statement represented. Quantized space suggests building blocks of space of the matter / energy variant. Space seems to be neither, but something else.

The discontinuity I suggested is more in line with "Rifts" in the fabric of space at the Normal Quantum level of matter, but "Space" itself, to me, doesn't seem capable of being ascribed of any Quantum properties. In this instance, Quantum is being generically used as a general description of Size, and nothing more.

BUT, perhaps you can Flesh the discontinuous/Quantum link some more?

[sql_lall]

Just an aside:
Quantum shifts can be used to explain why socks go missing, never to be found again. Perhaps is is their shape that allows them to move so easily !