The double-slit experiment is a classic experiment in physics that demonstrates the wave-particle duality of particles, such as electrons or photons (particles of light). It was first performed by Thomas Young in 1801 and has since become a fundamental demonstration of quantum mechanics.
In the double-slit experiment, a beam of particles, such as electrons or photons, is directed toward a barrier with two closely spaced slits. Behind the barrier, there is a screen that captures the particles that pass through the slits. The experiment aims to observe the resulting pattern of the particles on the screen.
According to the interpretation developed by Erwin Schrödinger in quantum mechanics, particles like electrons and photons can be described by wavefunctions, which are mathematical functions that represent the probability distribution of finding the particle at a given location. In the case of the double-slit experiment, Schrödinger's interpretation predicts an interference pattern on the screen.
When the particles pass through the two slits, they behave as waves and exhibit wave-like interference. This interference occurs when the waves from the two slits overlap and either reinforce each other (constructive interference) or cancel each other out (destructive interference) at different points on the screen.
The wavefunction of the particles spreads out and interferes with itself, creating regions of high intensity (maxima) and regions of low intensity (minima) on the screen. These regions form an interference pattern consisting of alternating light and dark bands, known as interference fringes.
Importantly, the double-slit experiment demonstrates that even when particles are sent through the slits one at a time, they still create an interference pattern over time. This phenomenon suggests that particles can exhibit wave-like behavior and that their behavior is described by probability distributions rather than deterministic trajectories.
Schrodinger's interpretation provides a mathematical framework to describe the behavior of particles as waves and explains the interference pattern observed in the double-slit experiment. It highlights the wave-particle duality of quantum objects, where particles exhibit both particle-like and wave-like properties depending on the experimental setup and observation.