Shrodingers Cat 

An experiment devised on 1935 where a cat is placed in a steel box along with a Geiger counter, a vial of poison, a hammer, and a radioactive substance. When the radioactive substance decays, the Geiger detects it and triggers the hammer to release the poison, which subsequently kills the cat. The radioactive decay is a random process, and there is no way to predict when it will happen. Physicists say the atom exists in a state known as a superposition—both decayed and not decayed at the same time.

Until the box is opened, an observer doesn't know whether the cat is alive or dead—because the cat's fate is intrinsically tied to whether or not the atom has decayed and the cat would, as Schrödinger put it, be "living and dead ... in equal parts" until it is observed.

According to Shrodingers Cat, we can never know whether a Christmas present contains a game or movie CD until you open it.

Shrodingers Cat by Max Larc September 14, 2019

Schrödinger's Cat 

The subject of an experiment conducted by mad crazy quatum physics man named Schrödinger. Here is the kicker of the experiment: Most believe that Schrödinger was attempting to prove that the cat was both dead and alive at a single point in time. This is not quite true. The fellow was merely attempting to prove that the rules regarding microscopic objects (such as particles that can be in "dual states" so to speak) are in no way governed by the established laws for macroscopic objects (a cat). You see, it is well established that a cat is either A. Dead or B. Alive. Schrödinger put his cat in a solid lead box with a vial of gaseous hydrocyanic acid (HCN(g)) and a radioactive isotope with an established half life of about one hour. Because a single particle was used, the chance of it decaying was 50/50. The vial would be broken when the particle decayed, and the cat, being rather allergic to hydrocyanic acid, would die. The problem arises here. After an hour, the single radioactive particle, speaking on quatum terms, was in a dual state of decay and, eh, not decay. The laws of quatum physics say that all items in a closed system can be related with well known and well tested equations. Using these equations, the cat is in a dual state of being dead and alive. Not possible. Therefore, there can be no assumptions made regarding the relations of macroscopic objects and microscopic objects.

However, I believe the cat was just a clear cut zombie cat.

Schrödinger's Cat is actually so complicated that even though I tried to explain it in the simpliest terms I could, I made no sense.

Schrödinger's Cat by Nope4810 April 19, 2005

Schrödinger's Cat 

To add to Nope4810's definition...

"Schrödinger's Cat is actually so complicated that even though I tried to explain it in the simpliest terms I could, I made no sense."

...Don't worry. The analogy is supposed to not make sense. Schrödinger was trying to illustrate how absurd it is to apply quantum mechanics on a macro scale.

Schrödinger's Cat is a deliberately confusing analogy trying to show how absurd the theory behind it actually is.

Schrödinger's Cat by lipplog August 30, 2015

Schrodinger's Cat 

A hypothetical cat that is simultaneously dead and alive because we don't know whether the nuclear particle has decayed or not, releasing the trigger that kills the cat. Used as an example that quantum mechanics is completely absurd when we look at it from a mundane perspective.

Schrodinger didn't test this experiment on a cat.

Schrodinger's Cat by inquilinekea July 3, 2005

Schroedinger's Cat 

A cat which is neither alive nor dead, but rather in a state of stasis, in a box. There is also in the box a geiger counter and a tiny radioactive particle, the counter wired to a vial of hydrochloric acid (that got your attention). After a set amount of time, the particle is 50% likely to decay, setting off a mechanism triggered by the geiger counter which smashes the vial and kills the cat. Supposedly, after that set amount of time, if no one looks in the box, the whole system is in a state of stasis because the cat is 50% likely to be alive and 505 likely to be dead, and is thus neither alive nor dead, but both. At least, until someone opens rhe box. There are all sorts of conundrums associated with this thesis, and it is very controversial.

Poor kitty... neither alive nor dead...

Schroedinger's Cat by Braavosi May 16, 2003

schrödinger's cat 

A hypothetical cat subjected to the difficult job of being both alive and dead at the same time for all eternity.

Schrödinger's cat is dead.
Schrödinger's cat is not dead.

schrödinger's cat by Zi October 3, 2004

Schroedinger's Cat 

Is a cat in an isolated box that has a 50% chance of getting killed in the next hour due to a quantum event - such as a particle decaying with 50% chance, and which will release a poison that will kill the cat. If the particle does not decay, then cat will remain alive.

Schroedinger/Einstein claimed that after an hour with the box lid closed, the cat must be either dead or alive, each with 50% probability - this is just common sense. Bohr/Heisenberg claimed that with the lid closed, the cat is neither alive nor dead, but 50% alive AND 50% dead at the same time. That is the cat is in 2 mutually exclusive states at the same time!

Bohr's position is the "Principle of Superposition" and is central to quantum physics.

Empirical experments show that Bohr was correct, and Schroedinger wrong - up to a point. If the observer happens to be in the box, he will see what Schroedinger asserts. If the observer is out of the box and cannot see inside the box, then Bohr is right.

So Bohr and Schroedinger were both neither right nor wrong! What irony. The answer is "who is asking". Is the observer privy (entangled) with the cat or not. Note: this is unrelated to the popular concept that "the observer influences the observed". There is no influence by the observer.

You are both right and wrong just like Schroedinger's cat

Schroedinger's Cat by Litwitquak January 11, 2008