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In a double slit experiment with electrons i have read that if you put a detector at one of the slits, the interference pattern disppears. What if i put on both the slits? I would think it will still disappear. Everywhere I have seen detector been put only at one of the slits and was wondering if there is some hidden meaning.

I may want to see if it is pasing thorugh both at the same time. In that case I may want to put detector at both the slits even though I have only 2 slits. what happens then?

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  • $\begingroup$ The electron can't pass through both slits. How can you detect 1 particle 2 places at the same time? $\endgroup$
    – JEB
    Dec 9, 2018 at 3:02
  • $\begingroup$ It is the photon that has been said to travel through both slits, but this description is also mysterious. I prefer Feynman's simplified model which says look at all paths but only the shortest one is chosen. $\endgroup$
    – PhysicsDave
    Dec 9, 2018 at 4:50

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When you have two slits, if you find that the electron has not passed through one slit then it for sure must have passed through the other one because there are only two slits.

On the other hand, if you have multiple slits you do need more than one detector to know which slit the electron has passed through.

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  • $\begingroup$ but I may want to see if it is pasing thorugh both at the same time. In that case I may want to put detector at both the slits even though I have only 2 slits? $\endgroup$
    – user31058
    Dec 8, 2018 at 19:42
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    $\begingroup$ No. If you observe a electron to be in one of the slits, the wave-function collapses and the probability of finding it at the other slit is 0. $\endgroup$
    – 256ABC
    Dec 8, 2018 at 19:50
  • $\begingroup$ It is identical to the scenario where you have two boxes and there is a glove in one of them .You only need to open one box to know which box the glove is in. $\endgroup$
    – 256ABC
    Dec 8, 2018 at 19:55
  • $\begingroup$ Or to put in this context: There are two ways to get to the screen by the electron. If you find that it hasn't gone through one way, then for sure it must have gone through the other one. $\endgroup$
    – 256ABC
    Dec 8, 2018 at 19:56
  • $\begingroup$ that is Copenhagen way of saying it. What if I dont know anything about collapse and all. I am totally naive and I am suspecting that they might be passing through both the slits and want to put 2 detectors. Will the interference pattern disappear.? $\endgroup$
    – user31058
    Dec 8, 2018 at 20:03

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