Classical Mechanics Is not the ħ, 0 Limit of Quantum Mechanics

Abstract

Both the set of quantum states and the set of classical states described by symplectic tomographic probability distributions (tomograms) are studied. It is shown that the sets have common part but there exist tomograms of classical states which are not admissible in quantum mechanics and vica versa, there exist tomograms of quantum states which are not admissible in classical mechanics. Role of different transformations of reference frames in phase space of classical and quantum systems (scaling and rotation) determining the admissibility of the tomograms as well as the role of quantum uncertainty relations is elucidated. Union of all admissible tomograms of both quantum and classical states is discussed in context of interaction of quantum and classical systems. Negative probabilities in classical mechanics and in quantum mechanics corresponding to the tomograms of classical states and quantum states are compared with properties of nonpositive and nonnegative density operators, respectively.