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Article #3812

Question about electron spin

#3812
From: Dave Griffiths
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 18:55
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I've just been reading Roger Penrose's explanation in the Emperor's New Mind
of the EPR experiment. In this he claims that it is possible to measure the
spin of an electron in three different directions at 120 degrees to each
other and obtain the result YES, the spin of the electron is aligned in
that direction for each measurement. Surely this is incorrect? He has already
shown that if you measure the spin in one direction and get the answer YES,
then there is a probability of (1 + cos 120)/2 = 1/4 that a measurement at
120 degrees to this will also give the answer YES. Fine. But surely, with 
the wave function having collapsed, it's not possible for three measurements 
at 120 degrees to each other _all_ to give YES?

If it is possible, has such a result ever been experimentally confirmed?

Please say no.

Dave Griffiths
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Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!sun-barr!ames!think.com!yale.edu!ira.uka.de!Germany.EU.net!prim!dave
From: prim!dave@germany.eu.net (Dave Griffiths)
Subject: Question about electron spin
Message-ID: <1992Sep27.185539.594@prim>
Organization: Primitive Software Ltd.
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 18:55:39 GMT
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