John K Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Schrödinger's Cat, Oh my head hurts. I aint a stupid guy, but the wikipedia article was way over my head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Got Juice? Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Particle or Wave or PWave? The cat is alive and dead at the same point in time. The only way to tell is to look, but are you really looking at the cat from it's timeframe or yours? It's a lot like a Mobius strip in a lot of ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitedog Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Yup, hurts my head too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 As nearly as I have been able to figure it out before my ears start bleeding... Like most attempts at explaining really complicated things that are "easier to explain" with mathematics, Schrödinger's Cat tend to leave people thinking that physicists are mad as hatters. They are, but that's really not the point, the point is that they are terrible at explaining things to non-physicists. A lot of stuff that happens at the subatomic level defies rational thought - like things that seem to be going faster than light and seem to exist in a state where time is slower. IOW, there seems to be more than one kind of "reality". In the case of Schrödinger's Cat, it's an attempt to try and explain something called quantum entanglement. Problem is, not everyone agrees on exactly what it is. One explanation makes it sound, to me at least, like the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, which I sort of kind of understand if I close one eye and turn my head counterclockwise at a precise angle. Think of it like a bullet. You can measure the speed of a bullet or the position of a bullet but not both at the same time because to measure the speed the bullet has to be moving and to measure the position the bullet has to not be moving. Quantum entanglement (sort of kind of) says that two things may be linked in such a way that you cannot measure either of them with out disentangling them at which point their nature changes. The act of observing something changes it. A practical proof of this can be found in Reality TV. Put a camera on someone so that they can be observed and their behavior changes - usually for the worse. If Jersey Shore had been around when Schrodinger was working on his thought experiment, a lot of cats could have been saved - he could have put Snooky in the box instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redmanfixit Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Wolfgang Paulie, one of the participants in the Manhattan project, was overheard consoling one of his Graduate students during office hours. "Dr. Paulie, I just don't think I can cut it!" "What do you mean?" , replied Paulie. "Well I just don't understand Quantum Mechanics!" Paulie responded with laughter, which further depressed the student, till the good Doctor got his glee under control and said, "Oh!, Don't worry about it, NOBODY understands Quantum Mechanics....you just get used to it!!" And it gets weirder and weirder the more we know!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckS Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Heisenberg may of been here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Heisenberg may of been here. I like it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraightUp_OG Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 A practical proof of this can be found in Reality TV. Put a camera on someone so that they can be observed and their behavior changes - usually for the worse. If Jersey Shore had been around when Schrodinger was working on his thought experiment, a lot of cats could have been saved - he could have put Snooky in the box instead. Butterfly effect - Einstein Uncertainty Principle - Heisenberg The Cat - Schrodinger All rocking the Quantum! And the only problem with using Snooky in the box is she is already dead(inside)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 One thing is for certain...Snooky has finally made it to our forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Scientist Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Don't feel bad about this, I'm a physics PhD that sub-specialized in high energy physics like this and it makes MY head hurt. There's even more weirdness but this is the best example. Just think of this, if you ever miss, there is a small chance, that you didn't miss, you bullet just tunneled through the target Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Just think of this, if you ever miss, there is a small chance, that you didn't miss, you bullet just tunneled through the target I'm partial to the dimensional rift explanation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gohuskers Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 All references to snooky should be banned. If we ignore her maybe she will go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Systemstooge Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Just don't open the box. SS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DyNo! Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 If Jersey Shore had been around when Schrodinger was working on his thought experiment, a lot of cats could have been saved - he could have put Snooky in the box instead. One thing is for certain...Snooky has finally made it to our forum. All references to snooky should be banned. If we ignore her maybe she will go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gohuskers Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 It's reported that the cast of Jersey Shore will be visiting Italy for an upcoming show. And the Italians thought they had it bad with the Visigoths. I anticipate a second fall of the empire by these degenerates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I have a T-shirt that on the front says, Schrödinger's cat is dead. And on the back, guess what it says? Schrödinger's cat is not dead. When I walk past someone who gets it - usually at the bar, and i've got a few beers in me - I'll stop, face them, then quicly spin around so my back is facing them, then spin back around to the front, and to the back again. Forcing them to participate in a quantum physics experiement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 All references to snooky should be banned. If we ignore her maybe she will go away. Your avatar is her Valentine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gohuskers Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 All references to snooky should be banned. If we ignore her maybe she will go away. Your avatar is her Valentine. Awwwww, and who says romance is dead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I read and tried to understand that uncertainty principle. I fussed and fumed and twisted. and at some point I got to laughing too. dammit! you just can't KNOW everything!!!! my science career ended there. I keep looking in on them, hoping they figured out something. it is quite the puzzle. It keeps getting worse. like they are going backwards or something... what worries me is that they keeping finding more and more things they don't know! geeze! put a stick in the box, If the cat gets poked, you will know the cat or the stick is still alive. quantum stuff is fun. If you are able to become an electron, it seems you can go back in time. Though, not for long. If they are making this up, they have a great imagination. miranda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 aybabtu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I get a kick out of reading stuff written by the smartest people in the world. Even our greatest minds, are so finite. And our universe, so infinite. The "big bang" has got to be my all time favorite. "One day in space....some stuff was floating around....and it just blew up!!!" Hell yeah! That pretty much 'splains everthin'. Two things I have never possessed enough of are intelligence and courage. I admire courage so much more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I have a T-shirt that on the front says, Schrödinger's cat is dead. And on the back, guess what it says? Schrödinger's cat is not dead. Gives me an idea for a shirt: WANTED Dead or Alive <mug shot picture of a cat> <with a placard reading> Schrödinger's Cat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I have a T-shirt that on the front says, Schrödinger's cat is dead. And on the back, guess what it says? Schrödinger's cat is not dead. Gives me an idea for a shirt: WANTED Dead or Alive <mug shot picture of a cat> <with a placard reading> Schrödinger's Cat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David.Hylton Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Like this? I read the Wiki explanation and it made my head hurt. Now I remember why I have a forestry degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 This Link made more sense to me..as it is stated to be an explanation aimed at a sixth grader.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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