No-go_theorem

No-go theorem

No-go theorem

Theorem of physical impossibility

Not to be confused with No-ghost theorem.

In theoretical physics, a no-go theorem is a theorem that states that a particular situation is not physically possible. Specifically, the term describes results in quantum mechanics like Bell's theorem and the Kochen–Specker theorem that constrain the permissible types of hidden variable theories which try to explain the apparent randomness of quantum mechanics as a deterministic model featuring hidden states.[1][2][failed verification – see discussion]

Instances of no-go theorems

Full descriptions of the no-go theorems named below are given in other articles linked to their names. A few of them are broad, general categories under which several theorems fall. Other names are broad and general-sounding but only refer to a single theorem.

Classical electrodynamics

Non-relativistic quantum Mechanics and quantum information

Quantum field theory and string theory

Proof of impossibility

Main article: Proof of impossibility

In mathematics there is the concept of proof of impossibility referring to problems impossible to solve. The difference between this impossibility and that of the no-go theorems is: a proof of impossibility states a category of logical proposition that may never be true; a no-go theorem instead presents a sequence of events that may never occur.

See also

References

  1. [1]
    Bub, Jeffrey (1999). Interpreting the Quantum World (revised paperback ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-65386-2.
  2. [2]
    Holevo, Alexander (2011). Probabilistic and Statistical Aspects of Quantum Theory (2nd English ed.). Pisa: Edizioni della Normale. ISBN 978-8876423758.
  3. [3]
    Nielsen, M.A.; Chuang, Isaac L. (1997-07-14). "Programmable quantum gate arrays". Physical Review Letters. 79 (2): 321–324. arXiv:quant-ph/9703032. Bibcode:1997PhRvL..79..321N. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.79.321. S2CID 119447939.
  4. [4]
    Haag, Rudolf (1955). "On quantum field theories" (PDF). Matematisk-fysiske Meddelelser. 29: 12.
  5. [5]
    Becker, K.; Becker, M.; Schwarz, J.H. (2007). "10". String Theory and M-Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 480–482. ISBN 978-0521860697.
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