A quantum contradiction

Modern Quantum theory assumes that it is only possible to define the probability of a particles state when it is measured but not the state the particle was in before a measurement is made.  Therefore, according to quantum mechanics all possible states of a particle must be superposed over each other.

However, the conclusion of quantum mechanics that particles exist in all possible states before a measurement is made in not supported by experimentation.

This can be shown by integrating the results of several experiments involving the transmission of photons through a polarizing filter.

In the first experiment, photons in their natural randomized polarization state are passed through a 45-degree polarizer set halfway between the source of the photons and a vertical polarizer.  This experimental setup shows that 50 percent of the photons passing through the 45-degree polarizer pass through the vertical polarizer.

The Quantum mechanical explanation of this is that every photon exists in a superposed or simultaneously in both a vertical and horizontal polarized state.  Therefore, every photon that passes through the 45-degree polarizer will have an equal or 50 percent probability of passing through the vertical polarizer. 

The second experiment involves two polarizing screens one vertical and one horizontal.  In this case, 50 percent of the photons pass through the first vertical polarizer and none pass through the second polarizer.  This indicates that none of the photons that passed through the vertical polarizer was horizontally polarized because if any of them were some would have passed through that polarizer.

However, these experimental results contradict the quantum mechanical assumption that photons simultaneously exist in both a vertical and horizontal state.

In another experiment if one places a third polarizer between the vertical and horizontal polarizer and turns it so that it is 45-degree angle with respect to them, 50 percent of the photons will pass through the vertical polarizer and 50 percent of those will pass through the 45-degree polarizer while 50 percent of those photons pass the horizontal polarizer.

However, if the 45-degree polarizer worked by only letting the vertically polarized photons no photons should pass through the horizontal polarizer because all of the horizontal photons should have been blocked by the vertical polarizer.

The quantum mechanical explanation is to assume that the 45-degree polarizer produces photons in a superposed state.  Therefore, because the photons that passed through the 45-degree polarizer simultaneously exist in both the vertical and horizontal states they will have a 50 percent chance of passing through the final horizontal polarizer.

However, as the earlier experiment showed the photons that passed through the vertical polarizer were not in a superposed state because if they were 50 percent of them would have passed through the horizontal polarizer.

Therefore, if Quantum theory is valid it should be able to explain, in context with its theoretical structure why the photons after passing though a 45-degree polarizer are superposed and after passing though a vertical polarizer are not.

Some will point to the "Copenhagen Interpretation" of quantum mechanics to resolve this conflict.

It states that the act of observing a particle causes it to lose its superposition.  This could explain why the photons that passed through the vertical polarizer did not pass through the horizontal polarizer because the act of "observing" them caused them to exist only in the vertical state so they would be blocked by the horizontal polarizer. 

However, the Quantum mechanical explanation of why 50 percent of the photons in the first experiment passed through the vertical polarizer after passing through the 45-degree polarizer is because they were in a superposed state.

But according the Copenhagen Interpretation these photons would not be in a superposed state because they were "observed" by the 45-degree polarizer.

We all know that wherever there are probabilities there are alternative outcomes of experiments and tests in any given environment.

However, this discussion shows that the environment were a test takes place is also responsible for some of the alternative the probabilities that occur when an experiment is preformed.

For example, the probability that a photon will pass thought a horizontal polarizer was determine by the "state" of the environment were the test was preformed.  In the test environment without the 45 degree polarizer between the vertical and horizontal polarizer a photon had a different or alternative probability of passing though a horizontal polarizer than when a 45 degree polarizer was placed between them.  This indicates the "state" of a test environment has a role in determining the probability that photon will pass through a polarizer.

However, the probabilistic predictions of quantum mechanics are not based on the "state" of an environment so therefore they cannot be used to ascertain the probability that they will be applicable in any given environment.

Therefore, scientists should remember when tying to use Quantum Mechanical probabilities as the basis for defining a "Theory of Everything" that those probabilities cannot be used to predict probability of encountering environments in a "state" in which its probabilistic predictions are invalid.

Later Jeff

The "Shadows" of four spatial dimensions