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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: How many spots are produced from Stern-Gerlach apparatus that rotates?
« on: 15/03/2024 15:23:39 »Overall, we end up with four spots or locations for the electrons at the end with an equal intensity on the screen: 1/4 went up and left, 1/4 went up and right, 1/4 down and left, 1/4 down and right.OK, as expected. Measurements taken along perpendicular axes would register no particular correlation. I take it that the deflection is small enough that a single second device measures both outputs of the first device.
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Now, what happens if you do the experiment slightly differently? Instead of having two pieces of apparatus, with one just in front of the other, we will use just one very long Stern-Gerlach apparatus and slowly rotate the apparatus while the electrons are travelling through it. Initially the apparatus would be aligned in z-axis direction when the electrons enter it, it would then be rotated so that the magnetic field was aligned in the y-axis direction by the time the electrons exit from it.Not sure. A quantum measurement is already taken (collapsed so to speak) by the initial z-alignment, so at no point is the new angle not yet measured. I think it will carry this collapsed state through the rotation, leaving again two dots. Before, you were measuring a previously unmeasured y component. Not the second time.
That's my take anyway. Good question. I'm not enough of an expert to properly justify my response. Yes, it's a lot like sending light through a series of slowly changing angled filters.
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