How many properties of spin does a particle have?

Corti, Alberto; Sanchioni, Marco

doi:10.1016/j.shpsa.2021.09.004

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 24 publications

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“…The phenomena appearing in a sequence of Stern-Gerlach arrangements, [ 43 ] (Section 1.1), reflect statistical balance, although there are (a) many unanswered questions about the concept of spin in quantum mechanics [ 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ], and (b) challenges in appropriately interpreting the phenomena arising in Stern-Gerlach arrangements [ 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ]. Referring to the illustration in Section 2.1 above, let T1 and T2 be two versions of a Stern-Gerlach experiment.…”

Section: Statistical Balancementioning

confidence: 99%

Quantum Mechanics: Statistical Balance Prompts Caution in Assessing Conceptual Implications

Drummond

2022

Entropy

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Throughout quantum mechanics there is statistical balance, in the collective response of an ensemble of systems to differing measurement types. Statistical balance is a core feature of quantum mechanics, underlying quantum mechanical states, and not yet explained. The concept of “statistical balance” is here explored, comparing its meaning since 2019 with its original meaning in 2001. Statistical balance now refers to a feature of contexts in which: (a) there is a prescribed probability other than 0 or 1 for the collective response of an ensemble to one measurement type; and (b) the collective response of the same ensemble to another measurement type demonstrates that no well-defined value can be attributed, for the property relevant to the original measurement type, to individual members of the ensemble. In some unexplained way, the outcomes of single runs of a measurement of the original type “balance” each other to give an overall result in line with the prescribed probability. Unexplained statistical balance prompts caution in assessing the conceptual implications of entanglement, measurement, uncertainty, and two-slit and Bell-type analyses. Physicists have a responsibility to the wider population to be conceptually precise about quantum mechanics, and to make clear that many possible conceptual implications are uncertain.

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