ERIC Number: EJ876109
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Feb
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-921X
EISSN: N/A
Bell's Theorem and Einstein's "Spooky Actions" from a Simple Thought Experiment
Kuttner, Fred; Rosenblum, Bruce
Physics Teacher, v48 n2 p124-130 Feb 2010
In 1964 John Bell proved a theorem allowing the experimental test of whether what Einstein derided as "spooky actions at a distance" actually exist. We will see that they "do". Bell's theorem can be displayed with a simple, nonmathematical thought experiment suitable for a physics course at "any" level. And a simple, semi-classical derivation of the quantum theory result can be given for physics students. These entanglement phenomena are today applied in industrial laboratories and are increasingly discussed in the popular literature. Unfortunately, they are also misappropriated by the purveyors of pseudoscience, something physicists have a responsibility to address. Students can be intrigued by the quantum strangeness physics has encountered at a boundary of our discipline.
Descriptors: Quantum Mechanics, Physics, Science Experiments, Science Laboratories, Science Instruction, Scientific Principles
American Association of Physics Teachers. One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740. Tel: 301-209-3300; Fax: 301-209-0845; e-mail: pubs@aapt.org; Web site: http://scitation.aip.org/tpt
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A