Back to the Original Question

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Section 6.9 Back to the Original Question

At the beginning of the chapter we asked the question whether two identical particles, say two electrons, can be distinguished from one another. Now we can answer the question. Quantum indistinguishability explains both the Pauli exclusion principle and bosonic “attraction.” These effects have been seen in countless experiments and phenomena, including the whole field of chemistry. So the answer is no: we cannot distinguish identical quantum particles. It's yet another difference between classical and quantum physics.