Wave function collapse occurs upon measurement from "summary" of The Principles of Quantum Mechanics by P. A. M. Dirac
In quantum mechanics, the wave function is a mathematical description of a physical system. It contains all the information we can know about the system before a measurement is made. When a measurement is performed on the system, the wave function "collapses" to a single state corresponding to the measurement result. This collapse is a fundamental feature of quantum mechanics, and it is known as the collapse of the wave function. The collapse of the wave function occurs because measurements in quantum mechanics are not just passive observations of a pre-existing reality. Instead, they actually change the state of the system being measured. This is a strange and counterintuitive aspect of quantum theory, but it is essential for understanding the behavior of particles at the quantum level. The collapse of the wave function has important implications for how we understand the nature of reality. It implies that the act of measurement plays a crucial role in determining the state of a system. Before a measurement is made, the system exists in a superposition of possible states. But as soon as a measurement is made, the system "chooses" one of these states, and the wave function collapses to that particular state. This idea is often illustrated by the famous thought experiment known as Schrödinger's cat. In this experiment, a cat is placed in a sealed box with a device that has a 50% chance of releasing poison. According to quantum mechanics, until the box is opened and the cat is observed, it exists in a superposition of being both alive and dead. But as soon as someone opens the box and looks inside, the wave function collapses, and the cat is found to be either alive or dead. In summary, the concept of wave function collapse upon measurement is a central feature of quantum mechanics. It highlights the active role of measurement in determining the state of a system and raises philosophical questions about the nature of reality at the quantum level.
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