Does the unpredictability in the \"micro world\" means that everything is if we
ID: 1392208 • Letter: D
Question
Does the unpredictability in the "micro world" means that everything is if we can look at it close enough imperfect?
I mean, there is a saying "You will never stand in the same river again" or something like that. So, if nothing in our makro world is the same, if we look close enough (no two people or flowers are the same; and if they seem, it just means you are not looking carefully or cose enough ;)
Is this also true in the micro world?
If yes, does that mean that e.g no two atoms of hydrogen are the same and the sign H is only some kind of reference for "from-to" or "plus-minus-something-like-that" tolerance?
And the same principle can be applied for smaller particles or even strings etc.?
Does that mean that there is no such thing as two identical proto particles and everything is slighty different?
And my final concern is... Do we live in "The Imperfect Universe"? ;)
Explanation / Answer
At the level of quantum mechanics, the only thing that distinguishes particles from each other are their intrinsic quantum numbers as encapsulated in the standard model. The standard model is a shorthand for practically all the experimental data we have gathered about elementary particles and their interactions.
The particles may have different energies but there are no characteristics that can distinguish one from the other except their intrinsic quantum numbers.
This carries over to the nuclear and atomic world. One hydrogen atom is the same as another hydrogen atom in its intrinsic properties. It is when the complexity rises that the need and possibility for identification becomes important, as for example DNA molecules where still quantum mechanics is important but identity differences can be assigned.
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