

If exact location of an electron is known, can we predict future? - Haddit

If the exact location of an electron is somehow known(with advent of technology ) , We can also predicts its location after nth time. That implies we can know the state of all electrons which constitute the matter. So can we predict future through that ? Is there any relevant work on it
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bcbrown
No. Read up on the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. Knowing the exact
location actually means we have precisely zero knowledge of its future
location, because position and momentum are complementary variables.

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arisAlexis
this is a famous topic for having arguments. you either believe in determinism
so that if you know all the variables and the laws (I am not talking about
specific variables such as location etc but ALL of them and ALL the rules that
govern them) then you can predict ALL of the future. Quantum mechanics add a
random variable so that makes it impossible. Einstein was deeply troubled by
this and his initial reaction to quantum mechanics was " I don't believe god
plays dice) " but then changed his mind.

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MichaelCrawford
The only way to find the location of any particle - including an electron - is
to scatter another particle off of it. But by doing so, we disturb the
electron. We'll know where it was when it scattered, but not where it goes.

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Haddit
So if we find the location, (if). future becomes predictable?

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MichaelCrawford
Quantum tunneling is a good, specific example. It is not predicted by
classical mechanics.

If I have a particle which is bound inside a potential well, say an electron
which is part of an atom, by virtue of being electrically attracted to the
atom's nucleus, from time to time it can escape the potential well.

Say for example I have a hydrogen atom, with an electron and a proton, and a
positively-ionized hydrogen atom - that's actually just a bare proton.

From time to time the electron will bind to the other proton, without
appearing to cross the space in-between.

