Are there certain things in the world?

As we all know, in March of 1927, Heisenberg put forward another uncertainty relation of quantum mechanics in his paper "Perceptual Content of Kinematics and Dynamics of Quantum Theory". Heisenberg believes that when the macro field of scientific research enters the micro field, there will be contradictions between measuring instruments and research objects. In the microscopic world, for particles with extremely small mass, macroscopic instruments are the opposite of microscopic ones. Therefore, in the microscopic system, the position and momentum, time and energy of microscopic particles cannot be accurately measured by experimental means at the same time. Derived from mathematics, Heisenberg gave an uncertainty relation:. For microscopic particles, some paired physical quantities, here referring to position and momentum, time and energy, cannot have definite values at the same time. The more certain one is, the less certain the other is. The so-called uncertainty relation is mainly due to Planck constant H, which makes the quantum result different from the classical result. If h is zero, there is no fundamental restriction on measurement, which is a classic view; If h is very small, the relationship between momentum and position or between energy and time can still be measured accurately at the same time under macro conditions, but it cannot be measured at the same time under micro conditions. Experiments show that the future behavior of microscopic system can only be determined by the probability of observation results, and the uncertain relationship has been considered as the objective characteristic of microscopic particles.

After Heisenberg put forward the uncertainty relation, it immediately aroused strong repercussions in Copenhagen School. Pauli hailed "this is the dawn of quantum mechanics", and Bohr tried to generalize it from philosophy. 1927 In September, Bohr put forward the famous "complementary principle" at the international physics conference held with Como, Italy, to explain the wave-particle duality of the basic characteristics of quantum phenomena. It holds that the space-time coordinates, the law of conservation of momentum and the law of conservation of energy of quantum phenomena can not be expressed in the same experiment at the same time, but can only be embodied under mutually exclusive experimental conditions, and can only be embodied by the mutually exclusive classical concepts of wave and particle. Although the two concepts of wave and particle are mutually exclusive, they are both indispensable in describing quantum phenomena. So Bohr thinks that they are complementary, and quantum mechanics is the ultimate theory of quantum phenomena. The "complementary principle" is essentially a philosophical principle, which is called the "Copenhagen interpretation" of quantum mechanics. After 1930s, it became the "orthodox" explanation of quantum mechanics, which Bonn called "the pinnacle of modern scientific philosophy".

1927 10 At the 5th Solca Physics Conference held in Brussels, the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics was accepted by many physicists, but it was also strongly opposed by some people such as Einstein. Einstein designed a series of ideal experiments for this purpose, in an attempt to go beyond the limitation of uncertainty relation and expose the logical contradiction of quantum mechanics theory. Bohr, Heisenberg and others compared quantum theory with relativity, which refuted Einstein favorably. 1930 At the 6th Solca Physics Conference in June, Einstein racked his brains and put forward the ideal experiment of "photon box".

This poses a severe challenge to quantum mechanics. The structure of the photon box is very simple. A box is hung on a spring scale, and a device similar to a camera shutter controls the photon emission in the box. The time of each photon emission is controlled by the shutter, and the spring can read the mass of the whole box with reduced photon emission. According to the famous Einstein mass-energy relationship, the energy of photons is obtained, so in principle there is no problem that time and energy cannot be determined at the same time.

It is said that Bohr was foaming at the mouth when he saw this device. After oxygen transfusion during emergency rescue and thinking hard all night, Bohr finally moved to the savior. Hehe, it was Einstein's own general theory of relativity. After emitting photons, the mass reduction of the photon box can be accurately measured, but the spring scale shrinks and the gravitational potential energy decreases. According to the theory of gravity of general relativity, the clock in the box will slow down. In the final analysis, time is uncertain.

It was Einstein's turn to vomit blood for three days. The experiment he tried his best to find turned out to be a wonderful proof of the uncertainty relationship of quantum mechanics, and it was also published in their papers by Bohr and others.

Since there is uncertainty relation in micro-state, is there uncertainty relation in macro-state? We should be able to come to the conclusion that, of course, uncertainty exists. When we do experiments, once it is time to process the experimental data, we must calculate the corresponding uncertainty at the same time. Why is this? There are errors in the measurement results, which exist in all scientific experiments and measurement processes from beginning to end. It is impossible for any measuring instrument, measuring environment, measuring method and observer to be absolutely rigorous, and measurement errors will inevitably occur. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze all kinds of errors that may occur in the measurement, eliminate their influence as much as possible, and estimate the errors that cannot be eliminated in the measurement results. However, we can only try our best to reduce the error, but we can't eliminate it.

As can be seen from the above, nothing in the world can be measured accurately. As the saying goes, the world is dialectical and unified, and things influence each other, which is both relative and absolute. The uncertain relationship of things is because it is both relative and absolute, and the seemingly absolute data we usually say is actually relative. In a certain period of time, the probability that an object tends to a certain value is the greatest, so we call this value a relatively accurate value during this period of time, so it cannot be measured accurately. There is interaction between things, so because the interaction is concrete, it is limited and has certain cognitive significance; Ontology is abstract, so it is infinite and has no definite cognitive significance. Therefore, there is no certainty in the world.

References:

Zhang Sanhui, University Physics Tsinghua University Press, August 2000, 2nd edition, 34 pages, 35 pages.

Li Shiben, Zhang Lixue and Wang Xiaofeng, A Concise Course of Natural Science, first edition, Zhejiang University Press, February 2006, 68 pages.

A Brief History of the Development of Science and Technology in Li Xuerong, Huang Liwen, South China University of Technology Press, first edition, March 2002, p. 136.

Quanlin, A Brief History of Science and Technology, Science Press, 1st edition, March 2002, pages 2 13 and 2 14.

Zhou Jian, Science Without Limits, beijing institute of technology press, 1st edition, April 2006, p. 102.

Wu Ping, Mechanical Industry Press, College Physics Experiment Course, 1st Edition, September 2005, 4 pages.