The standard interpretation of quantum mechanics and the de Broglie–Bohm interpretation are both consistent with experimental evidence. But it is useful to understand nonlocality if one visualizes particle trajectories rather than collapse of the wavefunction. In the trajectory approach, a measurement of one particle could lead to an incorrect prediction of the trajectory (or "surreal trajectories") of the entangled particles. The surreal trajectory is a consequence of nonlocality in which the particles are able to influence one another instantaneously.

This Demonstration considers the motion of two orthogonal one-dimensional entangled particles in a Calogero–Moser potential with constant phase shift. It shows that measurement of the initial starting position of one particle affects the trajectory of the other particle. The motion of the two particles in two-dimensional configuration space might be described by a single trajectory, in which the motion is local. The projection of the trajectory onto two-dimensional configuration space leads to a decomposition of two spatially divided motions in one-dimensional real space, in which the motion becomes entangled and where quantum entanglement becomes equivalent to quantum nonlocality. Here, the configuration space represents a projection from real space, which can simulate quantum nonlocality. If the motion is entangled, chaotic, or ergodic, motion often results. Measurement of the particle position is determined by its initial choice.

Mathematically, entanglement occurs if factorizability of the wavefunction is not possible; for example, when quantum superposition produces a product state, the motion becomes entangled. This means that the motion in one coordinate direction depends also on the other coordinate directions, whether the motion is periodic or not. The component motions are independent only if the wavefunction is factorizable in configuration space.

The Demonstration shows the motion in configuration space, real space, and phase space, in which the phase space consists of all possible values of position and velocity variables. The degree of entanglement is represented by the parameter

For , the wavefunction is factorizable in configuration space. The motion is periodic, and the particles behave independently of one another. The initial starting position of one particle does not affect the motion of the other particle.

For , the motion of the two particles becomes entangled and chaotic, depending on the constant phase shift . The initial starting position of a particle affects the motion of the other particle in real space.

The graphic shows the trajectory in configuration space (red) and the motion of the two particles in one-dimensional real space (green and blue). If the phase space button is activated, these are shown: the and components of the velocity in configuration space (red), the position in the direction, the component of the velocity of particle 1 (blue) and the position in the direction, and the component of the velocity of particle 2 (green).