Write4U
Valued Senior Member
That is assuming a water wave, with trillions of water molecules. But the double slit experiment deals with a single photon which accorcing to convention travels as a probability wave and only becomes a particle when it strikes the photgraphic plate behind the slits. So there is no breaking apart involved as might be expected from a stream of light. We're talking about a single photon, not trillions of them.
Another thought just struck me.
A photon always travels in a straight line, but as was demonstrated, light ( a stream of photons) can bend in the gravitational field of a massive star.
This suggests that the paths of photons are variable when pesented with a larger more powerful force. Yet, by convention, it appears that when the probability wave of a single particle passing through a narrow slit it's own wave function seems to display a wave interference so strong as to alter the straight path of the photon and directs it to a wide range of probabilistic targets on the plate.
This, IMO, suggests an inherent paradox, which would be resolved by Bohm's larger and much more powerful Pilot Wave and powerful local wave interference patterns in the Pilot Wave itself , caused by the double slits, which steer the photon to a probabilistic target.
I am way out on a limb here, but I have always wondered about the apparent conflict contained in the particle/wave duality.
This may not even be pertinent to the OP subject but it seems to me that if we can get a clear resolution of this phenomon, it might have a possible bearing on the discussion. There is no intent on hijacking the thread.