189
3.3. Diffraction
Figure 3.8: Two-slit thought experiment.
Next, we repeat this measurement for many, many individual particles. This is easily accomplished by forming a beam of particles.
For sufficiently low beam current, the individual beam particles
are far enough apart on average that they do not interact with one
another. One by one, particles arrive at the screen and produce
a flash of light. This is conceptually equivalent to repeating the
measurement many times, once for each particle, with identical
3.3. Diffraction
Figure 3.8: Two-slit thought experiment.
Next, we repeat this measurement for many, many individual particles. This is easily accomplished by forming a beam of particles.
For sufficiently low beam current, the individual beam particles
are far enough apart on average that they do not interact with one
another. One by one, particles arrive at the screen and produce
a flash of light. This is conceptually equivalent to repeating the
measurement many times, once for each particle, with identical