Gravity and the Superposition Principle

TL;DR

This paper explores the connection between gravity and quantum mechanics through wave packet expansion, proposing a model where gravitational effects influence quantum dispersion, especially for masses exceeding the Planck mass, leading to novel insights into quantum gravity.

Contribution

It introduces a gravity-based formulation of wave packet spreading using the Michell-Laplace radius, linking quantum dispersion to gravitational parameters and analyzing observer-dependent effects.

Findings

Wave packet dispersion rate increases for masses above the Planck mass.

Different free-falling observers perceive different wave packet expansion rates.

The source of gravity can be in a quantum superposition, affecting wave dynamics.

Abstract

The relation between gravity and quantum mechanics is investigated in this work. The link is given by the wave packet expansion process, rooted from the Uncertainty Principle. The basic idea is to express the de Broglie wavelength used by Schrodinger for a massive particle in terms of the associated Compton wavelength which is replaced by the Michell-Laplace radius $Gm/c^{2}$ of the spherical object of mass $m\geq m_{P}$, where $m_{P}$ is the Planck mass. The wave packet spreading is studying in spherical coordinates, having the width $\sigma(t)$, expressed in terms of $G$ and $c$ instead of $\hbar$. Therefore, for masses larger than the Planck mass, a faster dispersion rate of $\sigma(t)$ is obtained, compared to the standard case. The dispersion of the wave packet is observed only by a free falling observer and the process breaks down once the observer hits the surface of the object. Different freely falling observers notice different rates of expansion of the wave packet and the source of gravity is in a quantum superposition. We further confront the Mita formula for the mean energy of the wave packet with the de Broglie-Bohm quantum potential energy when the Schrodinger equation is expressed in the Madelung form.