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The concept of indistinguishable particles in classical and quantum physics

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Abstract

The consequences of the following definition of indistinguishability are analyzed. Indistinguishable classical or quantum particles are identical classical or quantum particles in a state characterized by a probability measure, a statistical operator respectively, which is invariant under any permutation of the particles. According to this definition the particles of classical Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics are indistinguishable.

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  1. Institut für Theoretische Physik I, Westfälische-Wilhelms Universität Münster, D-4400, Münster, Germany

    Alexander Bach

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  1. Alexander Bach
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Bach, A. The concept of indistinguishable particles in classical and quantum physics. Found Phys 18, 639–649 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00734566

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00734566

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