You are on page 1of 1

Description of the paradox

The original EPR paradox challenges the prediction of quantum mechanics that it is impossible to know both the position and the momentum of a quantum particle. This can be extended to other pairs of physical properties.

EPR paper
The original paper describes what happens to "two systems I and II, which we permit to interact ...", and, after some time, "we suppose that there is no longer any interaction between the two parts." In the words of Kumar (2009), it has "Two particles, A and B, [which] interact briefly and then move off in opposite directions." According to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, it is impossible to measure both the momentum and the position of particle B, say, exactly. However, it is possible to measure the exact position of particle A and the exact momentum of particle B. By calculation, therefore, with the exact position of particle A known, the exact position of particle B can be known. Also, with the exact momentum of particle B known, the exact momentum of particle A can be worked out. "EPR argued that they had proved that ... particle B can have simultaneously exact values of position and momentum." This is a paradox in Quantum Mechanics: The theory predicts that both values cannot be known for a particle, and yet the EPR experiment shows that they can. "Therefore, the quantum mechanical description of physical reality, EPR conclude, is incomplete." The paper says: "We are thus forced to conclude that the quantummechanical description of physical reality given by wave functions is not complete." The EPR paper ends with: While we have thus shown that the wave function does not provide a complete description of the physical reality, we left open the question of whether or not such a description exists. We believe, however, that such a theory is possible.

You might also like