What is Schrodinger's cat: Definition and 98 Discussions

In quantum mechanics, Schrödinger's cat is a thought experiment that illustrates a paradox of quantum superposition. In the thought experiment, a hypothetical cat may be considered simultaneously both alive and dead as a result of its fate being linked to a random subatomic event that may or may not occur.
This thought experiment was devised by Austrian-Irish physicist Erwin Schrödinger in 1935, in a discussion with Albert Einstein, to illustrate what Schrödinger saw as the problems of the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics. The scenario is often featured in theoretical discussions of the interpretations of quantum mechanics, particularly in situations involving the measurement problem.

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  1. Q

    Why is Schrodinger's Cat entangled? Or is it not?

    Why is Schrodinger's Cat entangled? Or is it not? I recently saw a poster on deviantart that said this: http://browse.deviantart.com/art/WANTED-Schrodinger-s-Cat-130508078 It said it was in a superposition, that i get, but the entanglement? That i don't get. -QuantumPixel
  2. R

    Chaos Theory and Schrodinger's Cat: A Quirky Connection

    Can we categorize the Schrodinger's cat as the chaotic system?:cool:
  3. marellasunny

    Schrodinger's Cat, Structures and the Observer Effect

    I am not a theoretical physicist but I have heard of Schrodinger's cat. It is a fact that stresses and strains measured along a structure are directional i.e the stresses and strains vary according to the direction you orient your strain gauge in. Does this have any connection with the 'observer...
  4. J

    Schrodinger's Cat - An Alteration

    I am a complete amateur, but I have been reading about quantum physics and I have a question (so I apologize in advance if the question has an obvious flaw). In Schrodinger's famous thought experiment, a cat is put into a box and quantum effects can cause poison to be emitted in such a way...
  5. N

    Applying Schrodinger's Cat Experiment

    I know that Schrodinger's Cat experiment is a thought experiment, but why not apply it and see if sound waves are impacted by quantum uncertainty. If the cat, or any other animal dies you can make it sound off by a heart rate monitor or something else. Would this act remove the uncertainty...
  6. S

    Russian Roulette and schrodinger's cat

    We all the famous schrodinger's cat experiment and its outcomes which sound stupid in classic or macroscopic world. A similar thought came to my mind for Russian roulette game. Suppose you lock 2 game players in a room with a revolver of single shot and they start playing Russian roulette by...
  7. D

    Schrodinger's Cat- Cat variations causing loopholes in the paradox?

    So, we probably all know by now the Schrodinger's cat thought experiment. A cat is in a box with a small amount of radioactive material. If it happens to give off radiation, it sets off a geiger meter, which causes a hammer to break a small vial of poison gas. Until you look in the box, the cat...
  8. G

    Wave function collapse for Schrödinger's cat

    I have what is probably a very basic question about the Schrödinger's cat thought experiment. As I understand it, in order for the counter tube to break and release the deadly poison, the Geiger counter must measure whether or not an atom decays. So, why doesn't that measurement collapse the...
  9. I

    Question regarding Schrodinger's Cat (Sorry If I Spelled it wrong)

    I was doing some research for school and I was thinking of he Schrodinger's Cat Experiment. Can someone explain it to me. Sorry if I sound Amateur because I am.
  10. K

    Schrödinger's cat, pure or mixed state?

    The usual description of Schrödinger's cat is that after being placed in the box, Schrödinger's cat in a superposition state of being alive and dead. Sometimes, I see this written as: \mid \Psi \rangle=\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}(\mid alive \rangle+\mid dead \rangle) This is representing a particular...
  11. F

    What if I'm the Schrodinger's Cat?

    Sorry for the dumb question... that's similar to another one just posted, but that other question was about many worlds. Without resorting to many worlds... ... if I'm an observer outside the box and I cause the collapse of the wavefunction by measuring something, shouldn't the cat do the...
  12. jbrussell93

    Schrodinger's Cat: Conscious Observer & Levels of Organization

    My first question is pertaining to Schrodinger's Cat (i know... I am still trying to grasp these concepts). So, wouldn't it make sense that the cat would be a conscious observer therefore causing wave function collapse in the first place? My other question is just a general question about...
  13. N

    Schrödinger's cat and many world interpretations

    In the Schrödinger cat's experiment if the observer decide not to interact with cat directly by opening the box but rather by bringing the interaction of Geiger counter and radioactive substance to see if the cat's alive then why the de-coherence will occur?
  14. X

    Schrodinger's Cat - your opinions

    Hello everyone, I'm currently taking the EPQ, a qualification where the student is tasked to form a report of some kind. For mine, I'm writing a 5000 word report about the Schrodinger's Cat thought experiment and what significance it holds in physics. As part of my report, I want to include...
  15. R

    Schrödinger's cat contradiction

    Hi, i didn't understand why we can't explain the situation simply as the cat is either dead or alive immediately after the poison was released or not, and not to assume that only when the observer opened the box the state of the cat was determined, what assumption does it contradict?
  16. C

    I with a Schrodinger's cat Science fair experiment?

    I am in my freshman year, and I am doing a Schrodinger's cat science fair experiment for AP physics. I know that I might use flipping a coin inside a box, or exploding a raw egg in a microwave instead of killing cats. Anyhow, I was wondering if someone could assist in making this an experiment...
  17. W

    Schrödinger's cat, no superposition

    As the story goes Schrödinger's cat was in a quantum box with a radiation source, if the device detected a radiation leak it would trigger a device to break a vial of poison, killing the cat. The point of the story is a thought experiment as to if the cat is alive or dead before observation...
  18. Y

    Does Schrodinger's Cat Paradox Suck?

    Is Schrodinger's cat paradox a poor pedagogical example for students of QM? In the traditional formulation of the paradox, the cat is declared to be both alive and dead at the same time, but no proof is offered of how the paradox can not be resolved by simply assuming the cat is either dead or...
  19. N

    Exploring Quantum Theory: Schrödinger's Cat & the Many-Worlds Interpretation

    Hi I was wondering if someone could better explain this. I do not quite understand the implications. Thanks for any input. "Unlike the Schrödinger's cat thought experiment which used poison gas and a radioactive decay trigger, this version involves a lethal weapon and a device that...
  20. Q

    Solving the Mystery of Schrödinger's Cat and Its Qualified Observer

    I have some hard times making senso out of this story. To keep it short, I'll pose some questions. Is it a mere thought experiment, or is possible to make it a real experiment ? The state of the cat become certain when the cat is observed. My question: what qualifies an observer ? the...
  21. L

    Understanding Schrödinger's Cat Experiment and the Many Worlds Interpretation

    Could someone please explain this experiment to me? And explain the "many world's interpretation" and the outcome of the experiment? Thank you.
  22. T

    Does Schrodinger's cat know whether it's dead?

    I've read several descriptions of the Schrodinger's cat thought experiment, but I've never heard anyone discuss whether the cat qualifies as an observer that can collapse the superposition of states. This seems like too simple a question not to have been raised before, but I've never head anyone...
  23. M

    Quantum mechanical measurement (schrodinger's cat)-

    1. Suppose in Schrodinger cat thought experiment we place a camera inside the chamber which record the events happening inside the chamber. (We are not watching inside the chamber through the camera during the period of experiment. It is just for recording purpose). After one half life of...
  24. A

    Can You Conduct Schrödinger's Cat Experiment at Home?

    Hey, new member here, was wondering if anyone knew how to write this up as a Prac/experiment for science ( aka have a title, aim, hypothesis, discussion ect) and explain how i could do it at home/make it up? help would be much appreciated, thanks in advance!
  25. M

    What is it like for Schrödinger's Cat?

    I can't loose the feeling that physicists in general are a little anthropocentric in their understand... interpretation of the world - especially when it comes to "observing" Q.M. This has made me ponder about what perspective the cat in that famous experiment has. Unless we open the box, and...
  26. W

    Schrödinger's Cat: What Are the Benefits?

    hello , i would like to find out somoething more abaut this experiment, i got the general drift , but what is it for? What advantages can we gain in our life from this? I trully believe that someone can help me, looking froward to answer thanks
  27. J

    Understanding Schrödinger's Cat: A Non-Physicist's Perspective

    This may have been posted or questioned before but I have yet to see it anywhere. I must also warn you that I am not a physicist... I just find the subject interesting. The Schrödinger's cat experiment has never felt right to me not because I had trouble grasping the concept of something...
  28. D

    Could someone explain the Schrodinger's Cat experiment to me?

    Could someone explain the "Schrodinger's Cat" experiment to me? Hello, I wanted to have an idea of what this experiment is. I just passed my 10th grade and so I don't quite grasp the meaning as it's been explained in Wikipedia. To quote from it: "A cat, along with a flask containing a...
  29. N

    Interpreting Schrodinger's Cat: The Role of Observers in Quantum Mechanics

    Hi guys. Am a complete newbie to quantum mechanics but would love to find out a bit more about it! I have a few questions about the Schrodinger's cat experiment, which are probably very basic but I would greatly appreciate it if someone could just explain them to me! Basically, my...
  30. C

    Schrödinger's cat - I don't get it

    Hello everybody :) Well, I'm past my first Quantum course examination, with a satisfactory grade. Trouble is, there are some really basic things I still don't get, and somehow, everybody seems to shrug when I ask them about it. My profesor tries to explain but I fail to understand, so I thought...
  31. S

    Solving Schrodinger's Cat Paradox: Is a Superman the Answer?

    Consider Schrodinger's cat. In QM we say that the cat is alive and dead.(as we wrote them in Schrodinger's wave function) That's because nobody knows the cat's state. What if there is a poison-proof superman in the box with the cat or let's say there is a poison critical to cat but not to...
  32. DaveC426913

    Why is Schrodinger's Cat only a thought experiment?

    The explanation I've heard is that quantum superposition is an atomic-scale phenomenon, that it makes no sense to apply it to a macro-scale object such as a cat. But that's not what the experiment is doing. The radioactive isotope is subject to quantum effects, and it seems to follow that the...
  33. S

    Schrodinger's cat filmed experiment

    Hi Fellas, I invite you all to watch this film where I tried to resolve the weirdness of quantum mechanics and the mistery of life making Schrodinger's cat paradox experiment. I don't recommend to do that again in your homes. But if you want to go a head please don't forget to follow...
  34. M

    ZExploring the Observer Effect: A Look at Schrödinger's Cat and More

    Alright, I've been doing a lot of reading and talking with my professors at college, and I just can't seem to wrap my head around the observer effect. Basically, Schrödinger's cat. I've heard a lot of analogies to compare it to, but I'm still baffled by it. I've heard "If a tree falls in...
  35. S

    Does Schrodinger's Cat Experiment Extend to Observers Outside the System?

    I'm sure this has been thought of before, since it's a very natural extension of the original thought experiement, but I'm too lazy to look for it, so I'll start a new topic. Say you carry out the schrodinger's cat experiment. The gist is there is a cat in a box, and the box contains something...
  36. A

    Schrödinger's cat paradox explaination

    I understand the set up of the paradox... I just do not understand what it is trying to explain Any one mind trying to dumb this down? Thanks.
  37. S

    Slit Experiment vs Schrodinger's Cat

    I've always been told about how that joke about whether Schrodinger's Cat is alive or dead was merely intended to highlight the fact that "quantum fuzziness" does not scale up to macroscopic objects like a cat. But when we do the slit experiment and observe that the photon is detected at both...
  38. S

    Beyond Schrodinger's Cat - a Television Appearance

    The following is my own expansion on Schrodinger’s original thought experiment, but taken to another level. It is envisaged here as something that might be carried out and verified. (Ethics demand that this should never be performed with a cat. It could easily be done with just the harmless...
  39. D

    Schrodinger's Cat: Exploring the Paradox

    hi, i'm sure everyone here knows about "Schrodinger's Cat" paradoxical thought experiment. what will actually happen if we actually perform it? could it defy QM? if not, will the cat be dead and alive at the same time?
  40. N

    Schrodinger's Cat: Probability of Dead & Alive?

    When Erwin Schrodinger came up with this theory So saying i quote "the cat will either be alive or dead, not a mixture of both" what is the probability of the cat being dead and alive in the quantum world? if so can this be explained using Schrodinger's equations within the theory? or does his...
  41. E

    Is Schrödinger's Cat a Real Pet or a Quantum Experiment?

    what the hell it is? is it his pet or some quantom thing? why its so famous? why there is no einstein/schorodinger,...lizard? :cry: thanks in advance
  42. J

    I shot schrodinger's cat and then I ate it

    I'm currently reading up about solving the schrodinger equation for a one-dimensional particle in a one-dimensional box with an infinite level of potential outside the box, and I have a *slight* problem (no, really, it is very slight) I've got to the equation where the Wavefunction =...
  43. D

    Deterministic systems and disproving the schrodinger's cat theory

    about deterministic systems and disproving the schrodinger's cat theory. if your system state is determined by a quantum wave function then the theory states that your wave function collapses as soon as it is observed... if you set up your system so that after a set time period based on the...
  44. S

    Is the cat in Schrodinger's thought experiment actually significant?

    Yeah, I just wanted to check with you guys- Have ANY of you come up with your own solutions to Schrodinger's cat? -Sam
  45. C

    Can Schrodinger's Cat Thought Experiment Be Applied to Human Relationships?

    Is it correct to consider instead Schrodinger's Cat next case? I to propose to consider the next task. Let's consider girl Ann. Once night she was contact with Bob. Is Ann mothercarry or no? If no its state 0. If yes, 1. We can say that Ann is in superposition 0 and 1. For the demonstration...
  46. D

    Exploring Schrodinger's Cat: Does it Constitute an Observer?

    I'm sure you've all heard of Schrodinger's thought experiment regarding Quantum Mechanics. The question is: does the cat constitute an observer?
  47. steersman

    Exploring Quantum Mechanics: In Search of Schrodinger's Cat

    I read John Gribbon's In Search of Schrodinger's Cat recently and have spent many moments puzzling over the implications of QM. Particularly this passage: Imagine an arrangement that records which hole an electron goes through but let's it pass on its way to the detector screen. Now the...
  48. Ivan Seeking

    Schrödinger's cat comes closer: Nature

    http://www.nature.com/nsu/030929/030929-3.html
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