Entangled Gravity: Why Macroscopic Objects Aren’t So Connected

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Author: Denis Avetisyan

New research challenges the idea of entanglement between large objects mediated by gravity, suggesting binding energies significantly dampen the effect.

Quantum entanglement generation, as theorized, accounts for particle tunneling-a phenomenon traditionally modeled with free particles-but necessitates consideration of virtual energy $E_b$ within solids, introducing an exponential decay factor to atomic propagation and fundamentally altering the understanding of entanglement mechanics.
Quantum entanglement generation, as theorized, accounts for particle tunneling-a phenomenon traditionally modeled with free particles-but necessitates consideration of virtual energy $E_b$ within solids, introducing an exponential decay factor to atomic propagation and fundamentally altering the understanding of entanglement mechanics.

The proposed matter-mediated entanglement is suppressed by binding potentials and arises fundamentally from quantum tunneling, not classical gravitational effects.

Recent proposals suggest that spatially separated massive objects may exhibit entanglement mediated by virtual matter, even within a classical gravity framework. However, in this work, ‘Matter-Mediated Entanglement in Classical Gravity: Suppression by Binding Potentials and Localization’, we demonstrate that this entanglement is significantly suppressed in realistic scenarios due to the binding energies and localization of matter’s microscopic constituents. Our analysis reveals that the proposed effect fundamentally arises from quantum tunneling-an evanescent matter channel-rather than a unique feature of classical or quantum gravity. Consequently, does this finding redefine the interpretation of observed correlations in macroscopic systems, shifting focus from gravitational entanglement to the characteristics of matter exchange itself?

The Quantum Embrace: Entanglement and the Illusion of Distance

Quantum entanglement represents a profound departure from classical physics, suggesting connections between particles that transcend spatial separation. Unlike classical correlations, which arise from shared prior states, entanglement posits an instantaneous relationship, where the measurement of one particle’s property immediately defines the corresponding property of its entangled partner, regardless of the distance between them. This isn’t a matter of information transfer – it doesn’t violate the laws of relativity – but rather a fundamental interconnectedness woven into the fabric of quantum reality. The strength of this correlation isn’t limited by distance, prompting physicists to explore whether entanglement could be harnessed for technologies exceeding the capabilities of classical communication, and raising questions about the very nature of locality and realism in the universe. The phenomenon, famously dubbed “spooky action at a distance” by Einstein, continues to be a central focus of research, driving investigations into the foundations of quantum mechanics and its potential applications.

Early investigations into the origins of quantum entanglement posited a compelling, if challenging, mechanism: the transient exchange of virtual matter. Drawing upon the framework of Quantum Field Theory, these models suggested that entangled particles aren’t merely correlated because of a shared history, but actively created in a linked state through the fleeting existence of virtual particles. This perspective envisioned entangled pairs arising from interactions where a particle momentarily splits into a virtual particle-antiparticle pair, with each virtual particle subsequently becoming one member of the entangled pair. While elegantly addressing the question of entanglement’s genesis, this approach immediately encountered difficulties; it required a reconciliation with the well-established principle of LOCC (Local Operations and Classical Communication) Mediation, which dictates that any apparent instantaneous correlation must, in fact, be mediated by signals traveling at or below the speed of light, a constraint proving difficult to satisfy with purely virtual particle exchange.

Initial attempts to explain entanglement through virtual matter exchange encountered a fundamental hurdle: the established principles of Local Operations and Classical Communication (LOCC). LOCC dictates that any correlation between entangled particles must arise from information exchanged at or below the speed of light, effectively forbidding the instantaneous connection seemingly implied by entanglement. This presented a significant challenge, as a mechanism relying on virtual particle exchange risked violating LOCC if it generated correlations faster than permissible. Researchers grappled with how to reconcile the apparent non-locality of entanglement with the constraints of relativistic causality, prompting investigations into more nuanced models that could account for the observed correlations without resorting to faster-than-light communication. The difficulty lay not in demonstrating entanglement, but in building a theoretical framework that explained its genesis within the accepted boundaries of physics, particularly those governing information transfer and causality.

Initial investigations into mediating quantum entanglement explored the potential of classical gravity, positing that gravitational interactions might establish the necessary correlations between entangled particles. Researchers theorized that subtle distortions in spacetime, governed by Einstein’s theory of General Relativity, could act as a communication channel, circumventing the limitations imposed by the speed of light. However, this approach quickly encountered significant hurdles; calculations revealed that the gravitational forces required to sustain robust entanglement would be extraordinarily weak and easily disrupted by environmental noise. Furthermore, the proposed gravitational interactions lacked the necessary precision to maintain the delicate quantum coherence essential for entanglement, leading to rapid decoherence and the loss of any meaningful correlation between particles. Consequently, classical gravity was deemed insufficient to mediate entanglement in a manner consistent with observed quantum phenomena, prompting the exploration of alternative theoretical frameworks.

The Solid State: A Many-Body Challenge to Entanglement

Macroscopic solids, distinguished by their substantial number of constituent atoms, present a significant departure from the behavior of isolated particles. The collective interactions between these atoms introduce numerous-body effects that fundamentally alter the propagation of particles and fields. Unlike the relatively unimpeded transmission observed in vacuum, particle movement within a solid is subject to frequent collisions, scattering events, and modifications to the effective potential landscape. These interactions lead to phenomena such as band structure formation in electrons, phonon-mediated interactions, and altered de Broglie wavelengths. Consequently, the simple models applicable to free-particle propagation are insufficient to accurately describe particle behavior within the complex environment of a macroscopic solid.

Binding energy, representing the minimum energy needed to dissociate atoms in a macroscopic solid, directly inhibits the exchange of virtual particles. This suppression arises because a portion of the energy required to create or annihilate a virtual particle must overcome the cohesive forces holding the solid together. Consequently, the effective range of interactions mediated by virtual particles is significantly reduced within the solid matrix. The magnitude of the binding energy therefore acts as a threshold; virtual particle exchange is less likely if the interaction energy is less than the binding energy, effectively screening interactions and altering the propagation characteristics of quantum phenomena within the material. This limitation on virtual particle exchange is a fundamental property distinguishing macroscopic solids from free space or dilute gases.

The inhibition of virtual matter exchange within macroscopic solids is not solely attributable to the physical distance between interacting particles, but fundamentally arises from altered wave propagation characteristics. Specifically, the exchange of virtual particles is governed by evanescent waves, which exhibit exponential decay with distance. The rate of this decay is quantified by the evanescent wavevector, $κ$, calculated as approximately $κ∼√(2mEb)/ħ$, where $m$ is the mass of the exchanged particle, $Eb$ is the binding energy of the solid, and $ħ$ is the reduced Planck constant. A higher binding energy directly increases $κ$, leading to more rapid attenuation of the virtual particle signal and a correspondingly stronger suppression of exchange, even at short distances.

The degree to which virtual matter exchange is suppressed within a macroscopic solid is directly proportional to the material’s binding energy. Higher binding energies necessitate greater energy input to create the atomic separation required for virtual particle propagation, effectively reducing the probability of successful exchange. This inhibition impacts the potential for quantum entanglement between particles within the solid; a stronger binding energy correlates with a decreased capacity for establishing and maintaining entangled states due to the increased energetic cost of mediating interactions through virtual particles. Consequently, materials with high binding energies exhibit a diminished capacity for entanglement-based phenomena compared to those with lower binding energies, as the exchange of virtual matter is a fundamental mechanism underlying such quantum correlations.

Quantum Tunneling and the Limits of Virtual Exchange

Quantum tunneling, a process where particles penetrate potential barriers even with insufficient classical energy, is fundamental to understanding interactions within solid-state materials. This phenomenon is not limited to the traversal of physical barriers but extends to the exchange of virtual particles. Within a solid, electrons do not need sufficient energy to overcome the potential energy associated with atomic separation; rather, they can ‘tunnel’ through these barriers, effectively exchanging virtual momentum and energy. This virtual particle exchange contributes to various material properties, including conductivity and cohesion, and is a cornerstone of many solid-state physics calculations. The probability of tunneling is exponentially dependent on the barrier width and height, directly influencing the rate of virtual particle exchange and, consequently, the observed macroscopic properties of the material.

The Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) approximation is utilized to calculate the tunneling probability of a particle through a potential barrier. This semi-classical method provides an approximate solution to the Schrödinger equation, particularly useful when dealing with potentials that vary slowly over the particle’s de Broglie wavelength. The tunneling probability is exponentially dependent on both the barrier width, $d$, and the particle’s energy, $E$, relative to the barrier height. Critically, the WKB approximation accounts for the influence of binding energy, $E_b$, on this probability; a higher binding energy effectively increases the effective barrier width, thus reducing the probability of tunneling. The resulting probability scales exponentially, with the characteristic length scale determined by the particle mass, $m$, and binding energy, allowing for quantitative estimation of tunneling rates even for macroscopic separations.

Analysis of tunneling probabilities demonstrates that atomic binding energy significantly reduces the likelihood of virtual particle exchange between atoms in a solid. This suppression is not merely a decrease in probability, but follows an exponential decay relationship, with the tunneling amplitude scaling as $∝e^{-d/ℓ}$, where $d$ represents the macroscopic separation between atoms. The characteristic length scale, $ℓ$, governs the rate of this decay and is determined by the binding energy ($E_b$) and atomic mass ($m$) via the equation $ℓ≡ħ/√(2mE_b)$. This exponential dependence on separation distance, modulated by binding energy, effectively limits the range of interaction mediated by virtual particle exchange.

Suppression of virtual matter exchange due to binding energy can be formally incorporated into Quantum Field Theory by modifying the Particle Propagator. This modification accounts for the Effective Mass Shift resulting from the binding energy ($E_b$) experienced by atoms. The characteristic length scale governing this suppression is given by $ℓ≡ħ/√(2mE_b)$, where $m$ represents atomic mass and $ħ$ is the reduced Planck constant. For typical atomic masses and binding energies, this length scale is approximately $10^{-11}$ meters, indicating that significant suppression of virtual particle exchange occurs over distances comparable to interatomic spacing.

The Fragility of Entanglement and Pathways to Resilience

The fragility of quantum entanglement in macroscopic systems stems from the continuous exchange of virtual particles, a fundamental aspect of quantum field theory. However, the binding energy within materials and the increasing distance between entangled entities actively suppress this virtual particle exchange. This suppression isn’t merely a reduction in signal strength; it’s an exponential decay, described by a factor of $e^{-d/l}$, where $d$ represents separation and $l$ the characteristic length scale determined by binding energy. Consequently, achieving robust entanglement in solid-state systems, and particularly proposing gravitational entanglement schemes reliant on macroscopic separations, faces an inherent and significant hurdle – the virtual particle exchange becomes so negligible that entanglement is effectively extinguished, highlighting a critical limitation imposed by the very fabric of quantum interactions.

A deeper comprehension of how binding energies suppress entanglement opens avenues for deliberately crafting materials with enhanced quantum connectivity. Researchers posit that manipulating the strength of these binding energies – the forces holding atoms together – could mitigate the exponential decay of entanglement over distance. By engineering materials where binding energies are minimized or strategically altered, it may be possible to create environments more conducive to sustained quantum correlations. This approach necessitates a focus on material architectures that not only reduce the suppression of virtual particle exchange but also promote favorable interactions between quantum systems, potentially leading to the development of solid-state platforms with significantly improved entanglement capabilities and ultimately, more robust quantum technologies.

Analyzing entanglement within complex, many-body systems necessitates moving beyond traditional perturbative approaches. Feynman diagrams, traditionally used to visualize particle interactions, become indispensable, but require modification to accurately represent the subtle exchange of virtual particles mediating entanglement. Specifically, altering the particle propagators – the mathematical expressions describing particle propagation – allows researchers to account for the system’s binding energy and spatial separation. This adaptation effectively maps the intricate network of interactions influencing entanglement, providing a predictive framework for understanding how material properties and architecture affect the strength and longevity of quantum correlations. By employing these modified diagrams, scientists can move beyond qualitative assessments and begin to quantitatively forecast entanglement behavior, guiding the design of materials optimized for robust quantum communication and computation.

Addressing the challenges of entanglement across macroscopic distances necessitates a focused exploration of material science and quantum control. Given the exponential suppression of entanglement – quantified by the factor $e^{-d/\ell}$ where ‘d’ represents separation and ‘ℓ’ the characteristic length scale – future investigations will prioritize the design of novel materials possessing tailored binding energies. Manipulating these energies offers a potential pathway to enhance entanglement potential, effectively counteracting the signal decay observed at larger separations. Simultaneously, advanced quantum control techniques are crucial; these methods aim to actively mitigate the effects of decoherence and preserve the fragile entangled state despite environmental interactions. Such research isn’t simply about achieving entanglement over greater distances, but fundamentally about understanding and engineering the interplay between material properties, quantum dynamics, and the limitations imposed by the inherent nature of spacetime.

The assertion of entanglement between macroscopic bodies, as explored within the study, feels less a revelation of gravity’s subtle hand and more a testament to the persistence of quantum mechanics even where it shouldn’t comfortably reside. The suppression of this entanglement due to binding energies-the very glue holding matter together-highlights how easily theoretical connections fray when confronted with the messy realities of physical systems. One might recall Werner Heisenberg’s observation: “Not only does God play dice with the universe, but He sometimes throws them in a way that makes the numbers come up differently than expected.” This echoes the paper’s finding: the initial proposal, while elegant, underestimated the influence of material properties on what appears to be a fundamental quantum link. The observed suppression isn’t a refutation of entanglement, but a reminder that every metric is an ideology with a formula, and that even the most compelling models must yield to rigorous testing against the complexities of the physical world. The reliance on quantum tunneling, rather than classical gravity, underscores the inherent uncertainty in interpreting signals from the quantum realm.

Where Do We Go From Here?

The assertion that macroscopic entanglement, predicated on virtual particle exchange, diminishes with binding energy isn’t surprising-complex systems rarely cooperate so neatly with idealized models. It merely highlights a persistent issue: the temptation to extrapolate from mathematical possibility to physical likelihood. A hypothesis isn’t belief-it’s structured doubt, and this work correctly identifies a critical constraint on a previously optimistic proposal. Anything confirming expectations needs a second look, and the demonstrated suppression offers a valuable corrective.

However, framing the phenomenon as fundamentally rooted in quantum tunneling, rather than a consequence of classical gravitational effects, shifts the problem, rather than resolving it. It begs the question of how tunneling scales with system complexity and environmental decoherence. Simply invoking a quantum mechanical explanation avoids addressing the practical difficulties of maintaining entanglement across macroscopic distances, even with reduced exchange rates. A truly robust theory must account for both theoretical suppression and the inevitable impact of observation.

Future work should therefore concentrate on quantifiable decoherence rates for systems exhibiting this type of entanglement, and the limits of LOCC protocols in mitigating those effects. A deeper exploration of the interplay between binding potential, tunneling probability, and environmental noise is crucial. The goal isn’t to find entanglement where it isn’t, but to rigorously define the conditions under which it demonstrably cannot exist.

Original article: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2512.13675.pdf

Contact the author: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avetisyan/

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2025-12-16 09:48