If I were to imagine myself as the particle in the double-slit experiment, here's how the experience might unfold:
As a quantum particle, such as an electron or a photon, I would initially be prepared in a well-defined state, like a wave packet. I would then be directed towards a barrier with two small slits in it, commonly referred to as the double-slit.
Upon approaching the double-slit, I would experience a peculiar phenomenon called wave-particle duality. This means that I would exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior simultaneously.
As I pass through the double-slit, I would diffract, which means that I would spread out and form an interference pattern. This interference pattern would be a result of the overlapping and interference of my wave-like nature as I pass through both slits.
At certain regions on a screen or detector placed behind the double-slit, I would be more likely to arrive and create constructive interference, producing bright regions. In other areas, I would be more likely to cancel each other out through destructive interference, resulting in dark regions.
If multiple "me" particles were sent through the double-slit one at a time, and their individual positions were recorded on the screen over time, an interference pattern would gradually emerge, resembling the pattern produced by waves.
Interestingly, if any attempt was made to observe which slit I passed through, for example, by placing detectors to determine the path of the particle, the interference pattern would disappear. The act of measurement or observation collapses the wave-like behavior and forces me to behave more like a particle, producing a simple, non-interfering pattern resembling two distinct bands on the screen corresponding to the two slits.
So, as the particle, I would exhibit wave-like behavior when passing through the double-slit, creating an interference pattern when unobserved and collapsing into a particle-like behavior when observed. This behavior is one of the intriguing aspects of quantum mechanics and has puzzled scientists for many years.