How the Double-slit

experiment is being
explained by scientists
By: Chong Kai En (6) 1I1
 Introduction
The Double-slit experiment
What was the purpose of the experiment?
• Created by Thomas Young to prove that
particles also existed as waves
o Consists of a screen, a board with two slits and an
electron/photon gun
 Can have another board with one slit if an electron/photon
gun is not available

• Proved that particles could exist as waves

o Interference on the screen proved it
 Like ripples in pond water
Interference pattern
No interference pattern
The Interesting Part
• When one photon/electron was
launched through the slit, the
interference pattern was still present!

• When a detector was placed to detect

which slit did the photon/electron pass
through, the photon/electron only went
through one slit and there was no
interference pattern!
The Copenhagen
Interpretation
Quantum Superposition
What is it?
• “It says that a quantum particle
doesn't exist in one state or another,
but in all of its possible states at once.
It's only when we observe its state that
a quantum particle is essentially
forced to choose one probability, and
that's the state that we observe.”
-- howstuffworks
Schrödinger's cat
How is all that related?
• The Copenhagen Interpretation:
The electron/photon goes through both the
left and right slit in a state of superposition
and cause interference on the screen.
When observed, the electron/photon will
stop being in a state of superposition and
go through only one slit.
The Many-Worlds Theory
By Hugh Everett III
What is it?
• “According to the Many-Worlds theory, for each
possible outcome to an action, the world splits into a
copy of itself.” -- howstuffworks
How is all that related?
• The Many-Worlds Theory:
The electron/photon goes through both the
left and right slit in different universes and
somehow, the universes combine together
so that there is an interference pattern.
 References
•http://www.physics.uiowa.edu/~umallik/adventure/quantumwave/02
kumar_yds.jpg

•http://physics.about.com/od/lightoptics/a/doubleslit.htm
•http://www.doubleslitexperiment.com/
•http://science.howstuffworks.com/quantum-suicide4.htm
•http://stephenwhitt.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/double-slit-bullets.j
pg