What is Schrödinger's cat experiment ?

Hello friends,
Schrödinger's cat is a thought experiment conceived by Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger in 1935. It was designed to illustrate the peculiarities of quantum mechanics and the concept of superposition. The experiment poses a scenario involving a cat, a flask of poison, a radioactive atom, and a Geiger counter, all placed inside a sealed box.
The setup is as follows: A radioactive atom has a 50% chance of decaying within a certain time period. If the atom decays, it triggers the Geiger counter, which in turn breaks the flask of poison, killing the cat. If the atom does not decay, the cat remains alive. According to classical physics, the cat would be either alive or dead at any given moment. However, quantum mechanics introduces the concept of superposition, where the cat is considered to be in a simultaneous state of being both alive and dead until the box is opened and an observation is made. This superposition reflects the probabilistic nature of quantum states, where particles exist in multiple states at once until measured.
The thought experiment highlights several key aspects of quantum mechanics:
Superposition: It demonstrates the principle of superposition, where a quantum system can exist in multiple states simultaneously until it is observed.
Observer Effect: The act of observation plays a crucial role in determining the state of the quantum system. In this case, the cat's fate is not decided until the box is opened and observed.
Quantum Entanglement: The experiment can also be interpreted in terms of quantum entanglement, where the cat's state is entangled with the state of the radioactive atom. The decay (or lack thereof) of the atom directly influences the cat's state.
Philosophical Implications: Schrödinger's cat raises questions about the nature of reality, the role of the observer in quantum mechanics, and the transition from quantum to classical worlds. It challenges the notion of objective reality and highlights the counterintuitive nature of quantum phenomena.
In conclusion, Schrödinger's cat is not a physical experiment but a thought experiment that serves as a powerful illustration of the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics. It encapsulates the strange and non-intuitive aspects of quantum theory, such as superposition, observer effect, and entanglement, and continues to be a subject of discussion and interpretation in both physics and philosophy.
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++ Quantum in the simplest way
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++ "Movies and series about quantum"
* These questions generally encompass
the kind of questions that can come to mind for many people on the
subject of quantum. Each user or student will have their own unique
interpretation or question depending on a specific situation or
application. The answers given are not binding and are not definitive.
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source." 08.2020
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