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Electrons orbiting an atomic nucleus exist in a quantum probabilistic location. Are the actual measurements of that location infinite?

Asked by ETpro (34605points) February 28th, 2010

Put another way, how much infinity can a finite mind handle before it simply explodes? If a single electron in a Hydrogen atom can occupy an infinite number of possible locations, then it seems the number of possibilities in the universe would be the number of electrons in the universe times infinity factorial. And if that’s not a big enough number, imagine if there really is a multiverse comprising all possible quantum outcomes at any given moment! We’d be dealing with infinity raosed to the infinite power factorial.

Of course, if there is some small constant that electrons must vary by, just as there is a Planck’s constant governing the energy levels of photons, then we are dealing with a phenomenally large number, but still one that is finite.

I honestly have no clue which is correct. So far as I know, infinity is a mathematical concept and not an observable phenomenon in the physical universe, so I hope that the electron behaves and obeys some constraints. Does anyone know for certain?

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