A discussion on particle number and quantum indistinguishability

DOI10.1007/S10701-007-9129-5MaRDI QIDQ2643676zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors G. Domenech, F. Holik

Publication date 27 August 2007

Published in Foundations of Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/0705.3417, http://hdl.handle.net/11336/22000

zbMATH Keywords

quantum indistinguishabilityparticle numberquasicardinalityquasisets

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05) Commutation relations and statistics as related to quantum mechanics (general) (81S05) Axiomatic quantum field theory; operator algebras (81T05) Many-body theory; quantum Hall effect (81V70)

Abstract: The concept of individuality in quantum mechanics shows radical differences from the concept of individuality in classical physics, as E. Schroedinger pointed out in the early steps of the theory. Regarding this fact, some authors suggested that quantum mechanics does not possess its own language, and therefore, quantum indistinguishability is not incorporated in the theory from the beginning. Nevertheless, it is possible to represent the idea of quantum indistinguishability with a first order language using quasiset theory (Q). In this work, we show that Q cannot capture one of the most important features of quantum non individuality, which is the fact that there are quantum systems for which particle number is not well defined. An axiomatic variant of Q, in which quasicardinal is not a primitive concept (for a kind of quasisets called finite quasisets), is also given. This result encourages the searching of theories in which the quasicardinal, being a secondary concept, stands undefined for some quasisets, besides showing explicitly that in a set theory about collections of truly indistinguishable entities, the quasicardinal needs not necessarily be a primitive concept.

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Cites work

• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3595145 (Why is no real title available?)
• The Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics and the Measurement Process

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(20)

• Q-spaces and the foundations of quantum mechanics
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1918500 (Why is no real title available?)
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• Indistinguishability and the origins of contextuality in physics
• From primitive identity to the non-individuality of quantum objects
• Troublesome quasi-cardinals and the axiom of choice
• Open problems in the development of a quantum mereology. And their ontological implications
• A formal framework for the study of the notion of undefined particle number in quantum mechanics
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