Measure (physics)
Encyclopedia
The measure in quantum physics is the integration measure
used for performing a path integral
.
In quantum field theory
, one must sum over all possible histories of a system.
When summing over possible histories, which may be very similar to each other, one has to decide when two histories are to be considered different, and when they are to be considered the same, in order not to count the same history twice. This decision is coded within the concept of the measure by an observer
.
In fact, the possible histories can be deformed continuously, and therefore the sum is in fact an integral
, known as path integral
.
In the limit where the sum is becoming an integral, the concept of the measure described above is replaced by an integration measure
.
Measure (mathematics)
In mathematical analysis, a measure on a set is a systematic way to assign to each suitable subset a number, intuitively interpreted as the size of the subset. In this sense, a measure is a generalization of the concepts of length, area, and volume...
used for performing a path integral
Path integral
Path integral may refer to:* Line integral, the integral of a function along a curve* Functional integration, the integral of a functional over a space of curves...
.
In quantum field theory
Quantum field theory
Quantum field theory provides a theoretical framework for constructing quantum mechanical models of systems classically parametrized by an infinite number of dynamical degrees of freedom, that is, fields and many-body systems. It is the natural and quantitative language of particle physics and...
, one must sum over all possible histories of a system.
When summing over possible histories, which may be very similar to each other, one has to decide when two histories are to be considered different, and when they are to be considered the same, in order not to count the same history twice. This decision is coded within the concept of the measure by an observer
Observer (quantum physics)
In quantum mechanics, "observation" is synonymous with quantum measurement and "observer" with a measurement apparatus and observable with what can be measured. Thus the quantum mechanical observer does not...
.
In fact, the possible histories can be deformed continuously, and therefore the sum is in fact an integral
Integral
Integration is an important concept in mathematics and, together with its inverse, differentiation, is one of the two main operations in calculus...
, known as path integral
Path integral formulation
The path integral formulation of quantum mechanics is a description of quantum theory which generalizes the action principle of classical mechanics...
.
In the limit where the sum is becoming an integral, the concept of the measure described above is replaced by an integration measure
Measure (mathematics)
In mathematical analysis, a measure on a set is a systematic way to assign to each suitable subset a number, intuitively interpreted as the size of the subset. In this sense, a measure is a generalization of the concepts of length, area, and volume...
.