# All Questions

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### Can we measure “wavefunction” of quantum particles?

We know that there is uncertainty principle, so question: can we ever measure wavefunction of particles? I do not think this is possible, but I am not sure. I guess that everything is probabilistic. ...
394 views

### Some questions about the edge states for time-reversal invariant topological superconductors?

Stimulated by my some recent calculations on edge states(ES) for time-reversal invariant(TRI) topological superconductors(TS) as well as many questions concerning the "edge states" in Physics ...
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### what is the magnetic quadrupole operator?

To find magnetic or electrical moments in quantum theory we must calculate the expectation value of an appropriate operator. the dipoles operator are similar and is easy to find but the magnetic ...
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### What is the magnetic quadrupole moment of a nucleus in cylindrical coordinates?

What is the magnetic quadruple moment of a nuclei in cylindrical coordinates? The quadrupole moment of a nucleus is zero in spherical coordinates but in the cylindrical coordinates it can't be ...
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### Radio antennas that are much shorter than the wavelength

From my limited experience with ham radio when I was a kid, I expect transmitting and receiving antennas to have lengths that are on the same order of magnitude as the wavelength, and in fact I recall ...
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### Can we build a synthetic event horizon?

If we imagine ourselves to be a civilization capable of manipulating very heavy masses in arbitrary spatial and momentum configurations (because we have access to large amounts of motive force, for ...
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### The gravitational random walk

When we shoot a single photon out into space, the chance that it will eventually return to our vicinity from a different direction is vanishingly small, even though spatial curvature exists due to the ...
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### When (Exactly) Does Bremsstrahlung Radiation Occur?

Regarding the Bremsstrahlung Radiation emitted when a charged particle curves inside a uniform magnetic field; Is there a way of calculating the angle through which the charged particle will precess ...
129 views

### The nature of resistance at copper wire terminations

Speaker wire consists of twisted copper strands, around AWG 22 thru 10. As good consumers know, one must consider resistance when wiring speakers. How do the wire terminations contribute to the ...
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### Periodic boundary condition on a Wave Function of a Particle in a Box

Until now solving the Schrodinger Equation for a particle in a box was relatively easy because the boundaries conditions imposed zero value on the wave function at the boundaries. But now I must find ...
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### How do we know that time and distance are not discrete?

I know that it is believed that energy is discrete, in that it travels in quanta. I was wondering if there is any evidence which either proves or disproves something similar with both time and ...
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### Why aren't the energies of two systems in thermal equilibrium fixed?

In the derivation of the Boltzmann distribution they consider a system $A$, enclosed by a diathermal wall in a heat reservoir $R$. Then they calculate the probability that the system $A$ is in an ...
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### Quantum Mechanical Operators in the argument of an exponential

In Quantum Optics and Quantum Mechanics, the time evolution operator $$U(t,t_i) = \exp\left[\frac{-i}{\hbar}H(t-t_i)\right]$$ is used quite a lot. Suppose $t_i =0$ for simplicity, and say the ...
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### How can a car's engine move the car?

Newton's First Law of Motion states that an object at rest or uniform motion tends to stay in that state of motion unless an unbalanced, external force acts on it. Say if I were in a car and I push ...
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### Can a current carrying loop or wire produces no magnetic field?

A current carrying wire produces magnetic field around it. We can find the direction by Fleming's Right hand rule. We know change in electric filed produces magnetic field and change on magnetic field ...
336 views

### Mass gap for photons

I am puzzled by the answers to the question: What is a mass gap? There, Ron Maimon's answer gives a clear-cut definition, which I suppose applies to any quantum field theory with Hamiltonian $H$, ...
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### Is every quantum measurement reducible to measurements of position and time?

I am currently studying Path Integrals and was unable to resolve the following problem. In the famous book Quantum Mechanics and Path Integrals, written by Feynman and Hibbs, it says (at the beginning ...
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### Why isn't data lost when sent over large distances?

I was thinking about how information is sent, for example through the atmosphere. There are plenty of obstacles, as well diffraction, etc. Still, no information is lost. How is information sent to ...
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### Intuition behind the notion of reflection positivity

I came across Yuji's question. I'm finding it difficult to parse the meaning behind what's said on Wikipedia. Could someone give an explanation of the concept involved? I would also appreciate ...
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### Does phase lead or lag in a plasma?

Plasmas have an index of refraction less than 1. So say you sent one beam of light through a plasma and another one along a path just as long but in free space. Is the plasma beam's phase lead or lag ...
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