Can the past be altered by changes in the future? Is it possible for particles to be instantly transported? Can we observe "reality" without having an effect on it?

While many of these questions seem like they were pulled out of an episode of "Star Trek," they are just some of the enigmas that theoretical physicists deal with on a daily basis.

The Language and Philosophy of Peace study group of Simi Valley recently invited Dr. Rob Acquarelli to give a layman's explanation of quantum, or subatomic, mechanics and provide listeners with a greater insight into this complex field of study.

The Language and Philosophy of Peace study group is an organization dedicated to the world of discovery and the intellectual discussion of a plethora of topics. Founded by Simi Valley author Chris Redgate, the group is not associated with any religious institution or political party and dedicates itself solely to discussion of peace through a number of topics.

Acquarelli, who received both an MD and PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Illinois, began the Simi Valley discussion by describing how the measurable world operates on two planes.

The first plane, and the one we are most familiar with, is the world of classical or Newtonian mechanics. This world is a deterministic and objective one in which a person can use measurements to accurately predict occurrences. To understand the Newtonian world would be to compare it to an opera: a person is able to sit back and watch the show without having any impact on how it will end.

The second, and far more complex, plane is the world of quantum mechanics. While classical mechanics measures the movement of large objects, quantum mechanics deals with the tiny particles that compose all matter. It is an invisible world controlled by probability.

The most difficult part about understanding quantum mechanics is the realization that any observation drastically affects the particle being observed. So instead of the opera viewer, we now have the anthropologists in Papua New Guinea who, solely by being present while observing a tribe, affects that tribe's behavior.

Unlike a person, a car or a planet, all of which are large objects easily measured by classical mechanics, quantum particles exist in what is known as a probability wave. This can best be understood as the ability of an atomic particle to exist in many places at one time.

Acquarelli said it is incorrect to think of atoms as being shaped like solar systems, as they commonly are. Under the Newtonion model, electrons would eventually collapse into the atom's nucleus like a satellite falling to earth, but in the subatomic world, electrons occupy "probable,"--not actual-- space and can't be governed by classical physics.

Once we try to bring an atomic particle into the observable world, the probability wave collapses and the particle enters observable reality. The problem with this is that we are directly interacting with the object and are not capable of observing it in its natural state, Acquarelli said.

He was quick to point out that while quantum mechanics is difficult to fully understand, there are many authors who present the subject in an easy-to-read form.

Besides providing the audience with a heavy mental workout, Acquarelli also shared some of the real-world applications for quantum mechanics.

He said quantum physics is expected to revolutionize the world of personal computing in a few years. Modern PCs operate by measuring the spin of electrons, whether up or down, known as bits. This produces a binary system composed of 0s and 1s, since the electron is only capable of spinning in two directions.

With systems operating on quantum principles, the bits will be replaced by qubits, which will allow for a drastic increase in computing speed since probability waves will be used instead of electron spin.

According to Acquarelli, quantum mechanics will turn comunications upside down as well.

Quantum particles experience a phenomenon known as non-locality. If particles of the same mass break off from a single system and travel apart from one another, an action taken on one of the particles will be instantly reproduced by the other particle, regardless of distance. This will allow for communications to take place without transmitters and receivers and for communication over large distances to become instantaneous.

The Language and Philosophy of Peace study group meets the first Tuesday of every month.

For more information, e-mail Chris Redgate at wrytor@ sbcglobal.net.