Quantum Physics 123: Wednesday 21 September

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[The Doctor comes in with a sheaf of papers. His hair is a bit mussed and he looks a touch wild-eyed. He paces throughout this lecture.]

After last class, I thought it might be worthwhile to attempt to understand, for the love of god review just exactly what the basic concept of quantum physics is: the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. You don't need to know the name, just what it states.
This short essay should help you.

It breaks down to this: We cannot know on the most finite level exactly where any object is. Since everything is moving on an atomic level (thereby having momentum), one can never really determine either the object's location or what direction it is moving in.

[stops pacing]
So we can't ever know in general terms where anything is. Before this leads you to drink, remember that we have a general idea, and that serves us in daily life--it's what our brains can handle. But the fact that there IS this uncertainty means that travel through time and space is possible--if you have the adequate technology.

For Monday, I'd like you to synopsise this concept in your own words. so that I can spend the weekend with CJ In that class we'll start working on practical applications of this theory.

((A big thanks to CJ's player for directing me to some resources this evening.))

Comments

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

*Jack runs in and finds a seat*

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

((You don't HAVE to be here...you can start on Monday, though the concepts we talk about here are important. I think.))

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

[OOC: Nope, I'm staying! :)]

[lady-jessica-bg.livejournal.com]

*sits down*

Sure it's Wednesday, but I'll do it now anyway:
Because atoms constantly move as long as they are above absolute zero, it is impossible to pinpoint the exact position of an atom. It would be like trying to find the exact position of a man as he is walking across a room. However, for most purposes, this does not matter since one does not particularly need to know that a period is 10E-100392 nanometers from a line.

(ooc: Believe it or not, I totally get this. Either I've had too much chemistry this semester or my brain is just retaliating from too much math.)

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

[OOC: I think I'm staying too. John needs this class!]

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

::sits down, and as usual, is desperately in need of Sparky to explain things in plain English. Cally does, however, look like she's been crying most of the day... but seems in a decent mood now::

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Lady Jessica, for being so prompt. I appreciate it.

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

Ms Cally, are you all right?

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

((ooc:happy to help.))

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

Yeah, sir... Just some personal stuff, that's all...

[ooc: Approximately what time is the class held? Just so I can time frame where Cally would be at emotionally right now...]

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

((We're chronofluid, so whenever you like.))

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

[ooc: prepare for waterworks if you press the issue, then ::grin::]

[cyloninmyhead.livejournal.com]

*sits in the back, drawing a cylon detection device on his notes*

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[looks at him oddly, almost as if he might break down, but doesn't]

[littleluck.livejournal.com]

*sticks her nose in her book, trying to sort this out*

So... we don't know where anything is because looking at it means it's now going somewhere else? O-kay...

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

::slides over next to Domino, with her red swollen eyes and a half a handcuff still stuck on her left wrist::

Are you understanding any of this?

[sparkplugfelix.livejournal.com]

::sigh:: I thought I'd explained it all Monday. ::takes in their joint looks of incomprehension, and starts again. In words of one syllable.::

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

So, we're back to the cats in gas chambers again?

This class is seriously morbid.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

::since this is something that interests him, Jack is extremely alert and takes copious notes:::

[sparkplugfelix.livejournal.com]

Think of it this way. You could have a cookie, or it could be traveling back in time.

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[groans almost audibly]

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

::stares for a second, mouth open::

Are you offering me a cookie, Sparky? I'm confused now.

::chews her lip, boggled::

[sparkplugfelix.livejournal.com]

[*snickers* I left the logic and brains around about the second Father Ted episode, sorry]

[littleluck.livejournal.com]

Only vaguely. Uh... you okay? You don't look so hot.

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

Just some... stuff this morning, that's all. Don't want to talk about it, right now. ::sniffles::

I'm just going to try and keep my mind off it, for now.