Energy Content of Quantum Systems and the Alleged Collapse of the Wavefunction

Abstract

It is shown that within a quantum system, the wave field has a (potential) energy content that can be exchanged with quantum particles. Energy conservation in quantum systems holds if potential energy is correctly taken to be a field attribute. From this perspective, a transfer of energy occurs on measurement from the wave field to a quantum particle and this provides a physical explanation of what is commonly referred to as the collapse of the wavefunction.