zodiac6 Jul 2004

There is a famous popular myth regarding electrons being seen in two places at once. I say it's a myth because the people spouting off about it don't have any more idea about it than if it were completely untrue (cf. yourself).

As it happens, it is partly real and has mostly to do with the equation for the probability that an electron will be in a certain volume of space at a certain instant. The equation is defined for all space and time, with the result that the electron is calculated to be in all possible places at any instant, though when you actually observe an electron you find that it's actually only in one place at any instant. For reasons beyond my comprehension, some people say the wave function has "collapsed" at that point and it's some huge mystery.

Now, since I've been nice and told you, let me make a serious suggestion that I hope you will seriously consider: PLEASE DON'T WRITE ABOUT THIS.