How does the observer affect the outcome in the double-slit experiment?
In the double-slit experiment, the observer, or the act of observation, plays a crucial role in determining the outcome. This experiment involves shining a light beam through a plate that contains two parallel slits, which results in an interference pattern on a screen placed behind the slits. However, when the experiment is observed, either by a person or a detecting device, the interference pattern disappears, and a particle-like pattern, called a "collapse of the wave function," is observed instead. This phenomenon, known as the observer effect, suggests that the act of observing or measuring the experiment somehow influences the behavior of the particles. The exact mechanism behind this effect is still a topic of debate and exploration in the field of quantum physics.
This mind map was published on 10 November 2023 and has been viewed 91 times.