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Time as an observable

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Book cover Quantum Future From Volta and Como to the Present and Beyond

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Physics ((LNP,volume 517))

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Abstract

The role of time in quantum mechanics is discussed. The differences between ordinary observables and an observable which corresponds to the time of an event is examined. In particular, the time-of-arrival of a particle to a fixed location is not an ordinary quantum mechanical observable. While we can measure if the particle arrives, we argue that the time at which it arrives always has an inherent ambiguity. The minimum inaccuracy of time-of-arrival measurements is given by δt a > 1/E k where E k is the kinetic energy of the particle. The use of time-of-arrival operators, as well as current operators, is examined critically.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of British Columbia, 6224 Agricultural Rd., V6T1Z1, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

    Jonathan Oppenheim & William G. Unruh

  2. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Theoretical Division, T-6, MS B288, 87545, Los Alamos, NM

    Benni Reznik

Authors
  1. Jonathan Oppenheim
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  2. Benni Reznik
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  3. William G. Unruh
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Philippe Blanchard Arkadiusz Jadczyk

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© 1999 Springer-Verlag

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Oppenheim, J., Reznik, B., Unruh, W.G. (1999). Time as an observable. In: Blanchard, P., Jadczyk, A. (eds) Quantum Future From Volta and Como to the Present and Beyond. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol 517. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0105347

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0105347

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-65218-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-49482-9

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