Ever taken a course in quantum physics? If not, you probably at least know that there’s something inherently complex about the field that manages to perplex even today’s greatest scientists. Einstein admitted that some parts of quantum physics are pretty “spooky.” Well, something spooky may actually be occurring in the universe this very instant: the formation of a wormhole. It turns out, according to some physicists at University of Washington and Stony Brook University in New York, that this wormhole may be forming through something called quantum entanglement.
Quantum entanglement is, not too surprisingly, an extremely difficult concept to explain — the mathematics behind it can be very taxing. However, a simple thought process may help to resolve some confusions about the fundamental idea of quantum physics.
Quantum theory deals with uncertainty and deals with physics at an atomic scale. When describing a quantum system, one can only make statements about the probability of a particle existing in a certain space. For example, if one is hypothetically describing a quantum poodle, he can say, “There is a 25% chance that my quantum poodle is sleeping at home, and a 75% chance he is watching TV with my dad.” In other words, definitive statements can never be said about this quantum poodle.
This all changes when he goes home and sees his quantum poodle. If he locates his quantum poodle sleeping on a couch, it will be sleeping on a couch. In another scenario, he could have located his quantum poodle watching TV with his dad. Either could have happened, and it doesn’t actually happen until he comes home and sees his quantum poodle.
Another simple thought experiment can be done with traveling quantum particles. Say you have one particle, Sally, and another, Bob. They will be released to travel in two different directions: one towards Japan and one towards the moon. Both particles have a chance of being either Sally or Bob. Furthermore, there are people waiting at both locations to see which particle lands there.
Bob and Sally are released. You still have no idea which particle went which way. Quantum physics tells us that at this point, the particle can be either Sally or Bob. Finally some Japanese scientists find Sally traveling towards them. The one traveling to the moon turns out to be Bob. What Einstein found “spooky” about this was that somehow, without any information being exchange between Bob and Sally, one was able to turn into 100% Sally when measured, and the other 100% Bob, even though that when both particles were traveling, both particles were 50% Sally and 50% Bob. This is called quantum entanglement between two particles. Some how when the scenario for one particle is chosen, the other one is instantaneously chosen as well.
Some physicists have found that this same phenomenon could happen to two black holes. If the behavior of one changes — say one of the black holes decided to become Bob — then the other one, without any “knowledge” of this change, turns into Sally, no matter how far they are in the galaxy. Spooky right?
Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The News-Letter.