Quantum 101 Episode 4: Superposition Explained | Schrödinger's Cat
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- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2024
- If you've heard anything about quantum mechanics, you've probably heard of Schrödinger's cat. It's a famous thought experiment (*not a real experiment*) in which a cat is said to be both alive and dead at the same time.
It's in a quantum superposition. But what does that really mean? This video discusses what quantum superposition really is. And if this bizarre thought experiment relates to the real world at all. The answer is yes… and no.
Join Katie Mack, Perimeter Institute’s Hawking Chair in Cosmology and Science Communication, over 10 short forays into the weird, wonderful world of quantum science. Episodes are published weekly, subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss an update.
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Anyone after watching Dark Matter?
I already read the book before the show came out. This theory always fascinated me.
bahaha yes, brilliant
When did Schrödinger's cat go from being [alive / dead] to [asleep / awake]?
No no, I believe this cat is both woke and unwoke. Simple explanation.
Because people sensitivity has been prioritized over practicality. Blame liberals.
At 6:00 when the alarm went off
The RSPCA objected
When someone observes it… law of observation….
sorry, but the explanation comes across as high level word salad to me.
So, "superpositions is just a way of talking about quantum uncertainty" means that there is no such "thing" as superposition, rather the behavior of a single particle appears to be wave-like, and therefore is a mystery when viewed from the standpoint of classical mechanics. Quantum behavior doesn't "make sense", so we make up a concept of particles being in lots of places at once (totally ignoring that the energy required to have the same particle be millions of particles at the same time violates conservation laws, as does "many worlds" interpretations) and call it superposition, something that can never be observed because observation causes all the particles but one to disappear. This seems to dress up something that isn't understood with magical thinking, the anathema of science. Superposition seems more a placeholder, like "dark matter", than an actual reality that can be demonstrated to exist.
It is sad to note that good lecturing is spoiled with mixing overplay of music.
I like that Katie mentions the quantum bit of information (qubit). What people fail to mention when talking about quantum superposition using Schrodinger's Cat is the difference between a classical bit of information (like a computer bit being on or off) and a qubit. Both bits produce one of two outcomes when queried (measured), but a classical bit has only one measurement possible while a qubit can be measured in many different ways (infinitely many, actually), each with two possible outcomes.
For example, when you pass an electron through an inhomogeneous magnetic field, the electron is either deflected towards the North magnetic pole ("up") or towards the South magnetic pole ("down"). You can orient the N-S magnetic field in any direction you like and the electrons will still give one of those two outcomes, so electron spin is a qubit with two outcomes of spin "up" and spin "down" relative the the N-S magnetic field. Now suppose you pass electrons through a N-S magnetic field oriented vertically and then send those that deflected "up" (literally up in this case) to a N-S magnetic field oriented horizontally. What do you expect to find?
Well since the electrons have vertical spin up and spin is a vector (picture an arrow pointing upward here), then you probably expect the electron to pass straight through the horizontal magnetic field, i.e., they won't be deflected left or right at all ("up" or "down" relative to the horizontal N-S field). That's because the electron's spin vector (arrow) points up which means it doesn't point side-to-side (left of right) at all, so your horizontal spin measurement of a vertical spin up electron should seemingly yield a result of zero horizontal spin. But, what you find instead is that 50% of the vertical spin up electrons are deflected left ("up" towards North pole) and 50% are deflected right ("down" towards South pole). True, 50% left plus 50% right *averages* to zero, but that's not what you expect from the measurement of a vector quantity in ordinary classical mechanics. [Aside: Quantum mechanics gives the classically expected results on average over the discrete or quantum measurement outcomes.] This is quantum superposition, a vertical spin up electron is a quantum superposition of 50% horizontal spin left and 50% horizontal spin right and we write that as |V+> = |H+> + |H-> (divided by root 2 for normalization, but I don't need that to make my point).
The point here is the horizontal spin measurement of the quantum state |V+> produces each of its two "up"-"down" (left-right) results in 50-50 fashion. This is exactly what you hear people say about Schrodinger's Cat, i.e., you open the box and find the cat is awake with 50% probability or find the cat is asleep with 50% probability. With that information alone, Schrodinger's Cat could be a classical bit or a qubit. If Schrodinger's Cat is a qubit, then there must be a measurement of the cat-box system like the vertical spin measurement of the state |V+> that produces |V+>, i.e., |H+> + |H->, with 100% certainty. We know the measurement "open the box" producing the "Asleep Cat"-"Awake Cat" results in 50-50 fashion is analogous to the horizontal spin measurement of |V+>, so what is the measurement of the cat-box system producing |Asleep Cat> + |Awake Cat> with 100% certainty in analogy with the vertical spin measurement of the state |V+> that produces |V+> with 100% certainty? And what does its outcome mean physically? If you can't articulate that measurement and outcome of the cat-box system, and every possible measurement between that measurement and the "open the box" measurement, then the cat-box system is just a classical bit ... like opening a box to find a ball or no ball. No quantum superposition there 🙂
To read more about the quantum information approach to superposition and entanglement for the "general reader," see "Einstein's Entanglement: Bell Inequalities, Relativity, and the Qubit" due out in June 2024 with Oxford UP.
Actually the cat is not "both" asleep and awake, it is *neither* asleep nor awake because it is in a *superposition* of the two, until observation. (NB. in this formulation of the problem one also needs the assumption that the cat does not wake up on its own during the experiment.)
A good resolution to all this was recently given by Presentist Fragmentalism.
That 'Well Yes...and No' is such a brilliant thing to add in the Superposition episode!
I was going to comment the same thing!
Oh crap, now I get it!
once you've "observed" something and it's "picked" a state, does it go back to superposition when you stop observing it ? Where is it getting the energy needed to change states?
No, decoherence is not reversible.
Anyone who is offended or feelings are hurt over a thought experiment doesn't deserve quasi virtue signaling consideration.
What the hwll is "quasi virtue signaling consideration"
@@DRNT940 fake BS not worthy of acknowledgment
Help me get past my persistent and stubborn thought that this is not a science, but just scientific process resulting in (as of yet) unrationalized data.
Peter Harness delves into this idea of superposition and quantum entanglement in his hit series "Constellation." It's a mind-bending show, available on AppleTV. It's worth a watch.
The Observer or Drashta in Sanskrit is explained in volumes of Ashtavakra Mahageeta.
the concept of ‘Drashta’ or witness or observer in a very unique way.
Also Osho as explained in his discourse of Ashtavakra Maha Gita. In which he talks about enlightenment or state of mind i.e. the superposition and the realisation of enlightenment by being the Drashta or an observer is explained.
Content is great, but don't need the music.
Well...get used to it bub
Superpositioning of sentient beings is not possible because that will make them omniscient and omnipotent; qualities which cannot possibly be encompassed by the relatively fragile nature of their existence.
Only God has these and more qualities.The First and Last, all knowing, capable of everything .
I don't know why many says it's mysterious or difficult to understand?
I understand it like this,since we aren't inside the box both options are theoretically valid.what is so difficult?
Please fir quantum mechanics fans, correct me if I'm wrong or missing something.❤🎉
Schroedinger pointed out that quantum mechanics seems to run up against the conventional "systems" definition of physics. That attempt in itself was valid., but since he made a serious technical mistake in his argument his particular line of reasoning doesn't go anywhere. Neither did Wigner's (and for the same reason). The true resolution of these paradoxes comes in the form of relativistic quantum field theory which has a much cleaner ontology.
You are saying 'cat is alive' and 'cat is dead' are both "theoretically valid". The real question is - are both states actually true, are they both actually happening at the same time? The cat cannot possible be both alive and dead, that would be absurd, as Schrodinger asserted, but only because the cat is macroscopic. At the level of fundamental particles, they can actually be in all possible states at once. If the particle were a cat it would be alive, dead, and everything in between.
Schrödinger's Cat "for modern audiences".
I feel schrodingers cat is a good analogy WHICH SHOULDN'T BE TAKEN LITERALLY, we have evidence for subatomic particles showing particle nature at times, and wave nature the other times (as she said, since we don't whether it's here or there, we just say its at both places, and both the places in a wavefunction which satisfies schrodinger's eqn
We don't have any evidence to suggest that a man is sometimes dead and sometimes alive
I'd like to see if other experiments, similar to the DS, but done with different patterns and shapes, such as a double cross, or an ( X ), if you will, or other configurations, ( O )... have they been tried or are we ultimately limited to the interpretation of only the double slit ( II )... ?🤔
Wyjaśnienie super pozycji bo nieźle się pojebało w główce fizykom kwantowymi czyli jak się paczą raz przez jedną szczelinę na elektron to go widać w innym miejscu niż gdyby paczyli się przez druga szczelinę i ten stan nazwali super pozycja i że jeden elektron przebywa w dwuch miejscach się uroili .pojebało się im.w główkach wstyd wstyd bo jak mam obrazek na ścianie i na nim piksel punkt to tak samo pójdę z lewej strony obrazka to będę widział ten punkt na nim i ten sam punkt będę widział jak pójdę na prawa stronę obrazka czy będę na niego paczył z gury czy z dołu to.tez mogę zaobserwować ten sam punkt i nie znaczy to że obrazek ma super pozycje i jest w wielu miejscach naraz tylko Z RUZNYCH STRON PACZE SIE NA OBRAZEK bo jeden promień jak udeza w punkt odbija się od niego to rozwidla się na wiązkę kilku miliardów promieni kture od punktu idą w ruzne kierunki świata i dlatego ten sam punkt mogę oglondac z ruznej strony na moim.kanale na you tubie boze jehowa nauka masz o tym filmik bh789
2:17 i think so, i think so maybe so... when i was 7 i always wondered like if i turned my back to something or looked away if ti still existed or if it was all black. i guess.. i mean, our collective consiousnesses have all agreed upon a certain reality, does that make it real? to us i think so. then, what about schizophrenic people? also, if that is true, then we would have to be in a reality where the laws of that reality and how it's created is in that reality, but if a reality is created... doesnt that mean there has to have been something to create it, therefore something that's rules had to be abided by, are the rules only seen as true in this reality because were experincing it? does anything have an explaination? ive heard that our brains automatically create explanations and justification for things, so maybe that explains why the rules of this reality are seen true in this reality that is supposedly composed of our consious awareness of it. hm.. interesting
edit: this also made me wonder something i also wondered a few years ago, i think it was from the coco movie i watched when i was little... do we cease to exist when nobody adknowledges that we exist? hm... i mean, technically we wouldn't exist to everybody, we are somebody though and so we can adknowledge that we ourselves exist, but if were dead, can we still? we may not have a consiousness when we're dead, so maybe not? idk.
General Physics I: Classical Mechanics
General Physics II: Electromagnetism
Modern Physics III: Forget what you have learnt and start from square one! Hence I am here life long learning is fun!
So I guess the real question here would be what exactly gives us our ability to "measure" objects in superposition. (DON'T say our brains 🙄. I'm a mystic.)
The science communicator in me appreciates the effort to make this concept more "feline-friendly," but the journalist in me opposes this kind of revisionist, sanitized account of an actual historic reference, out of a misguided fear of "offending" modern-day people and their sensitivities.
Thanks! I think that collapse occurs in front of our eyes only (resulting in subjective illusion. See Wigner's friend paradox) because we are not able to see superposition. We don't believe that particle can fly through both slits at once, so we only shown what we believe can be. Same like with a computer simulation (subjective image of virtual reality). But there is quiet different story with our mind's eyes. With them we can see real logical reality. I see each person most of the time through my mind's eyes. No matter who it is. And I see him as a cloud of probabilities. Is it not the same with that cat in the box? We see it with our mind's eyes as a superpositioned. Only when we use our body's eyes (show us a miracle), we are left with mere illusion.
Your music in the video destroyed 😅😅😅😅😅 super position
I would argue that, in the hypothetical, the cat's observation collapses the particle but the inanimate objects do not.
Somebody thought of this great video and the simple explanation, and then thought "you know what, saying the cat is alive and dead is a bit too much for our audience to handle. It may be a sensitive subject. Some animal protection society will give us hell for referring to the cat in a THOUGHT experiment as being DEAD. Let's complicate the original thought experiment with a sleeping cat instead of dead. Yes, this will require an addition of a confusing alarm clock (which we can hear and know that the cat is awake) - but who cares, at least we won't have to say the "D Word".
Facepalm. 🙀
What's wrong with actually stating what the thought experiment actually was: cat is ALIVE and DEAD at the same time? Come on, it's just a thought experiment. It's not real! Would somebody be offended or take it the wrong way if you say "dead"? Nobody advocates animal cruelty. It's a science video - keep it "sciency", clear and accurate to the original. Or call it something else...
Again, the video could be great if you could find the courage to explain the thought experiment the way it actually was.
Thank you, that seemed to help, but, being triggered by the idea of harming a hypothetical cat?
I'm feeling too old and calloused.
Katie Mack + Carlo Rovelli = the best chance a lay person will have at understanding this stuff.
It was written long before Schrödinger that everything that can happen does happen , maybe our consciousness triggers a timeline ,but I have problems with this theory.
@@whizzer2944 the Bible also stated that the world was a sphere long before it was officially discovered according to recorded history.
I don't think Ecclesiastices 1:9 is referring to quantum superposition specifically though. In context the whole of chapter 1 one is a disillusioned discourse on the perceived futile elements of earthly life.
The most PC explanation of this experiment. God for bid you kill a cat with poison. Nowadays it's happy and sleeping, or awake and annoyed.
Nah, we can hear the clock ringing. Not true of real Schrodinger Cat.
are the electrons that make up your body superpositioned? or not because i am aware of my body?
Great fun educational video that clearly makes its point!
If the battery in the geiger-counter is empty - nothing makes a difference.
I would say I am in superposition as well, can't decide what to do with my life.
I will know if the cat is awake if I hear the alarm clock. I like the G rated cat. 🙂
It seems like nonsense made into a concept. We don't know so lets go with this.
YES BUT... If instead of cat was a dog? You don't have answer now!
Young Sharon Thompson Christopher Martin Lisa
Forget the cat. Explain this to me, 5:02
Standard computers depend on being able to tell if a bit is a 1 or 0. How does not knowing if a bit is a 1 or a 0 (superposition) make quantum computers at all effective, let alone vastly superior?
Sincere question for anyone who can shed light. 🙂
Same question
am a 62 year old layman scientific philosopher who has been searching for answers from consciousness to cosmic for over 40 years.
As I don't have access to cutting edge research facilities, I request you to conduct an experiment to make sure whether my classical And quantum versions of Physics are correct.
Description of Experiment
Please shoot One electron after another from an electron gun in such way that every electron should hit the division between the 2 slits and reflect back. Please shoot enough number of electrons. Not even a single electron should go through either slit.
According to my prediction, even then we should be able observe interference pattern.
If the results confirm my prediction, then I am confident that General Relativity can be further improvised and Quantum Mechanics can be better understood. In fact, Theory of Everything becomes real.
Thank your and Regards,
Prasad RVR
Plz give reason...why would the interference patter form..as the electron comes back?
me being unknown to quantum physics what nonsense is this
Garcia Nancy Robinson Gary Johnson Thomas
Is it faster than speed of light?
Electrons chose where to be and what to hit!?
Is there any direct evidence of a single particle at two places at same time? I mean has it been detected at two places simultaneously. I think the answer is no. The particle is never at 2 places or states at the same time. The wave associated with particle in motion creates illusion of superposition as path followed by particle is determined by the wave. On detection the particle stops and its associated dissipate.
There is not even evidence for particles. The only evidence we have is that people aren't paying attention when we explain what a quantum is in high school to them. ;-)
Excellent! There clearest explanation of Super Position yet.
Who says we aren't in superposition
Let's explore how the triadic coefficient (3) mathematics and the "both/and" logic can provide a framework for describing the superposition principle in quantum mechanics.
The Superposition Principle and Triadic Coefficients:
In quantum mechanics, particles can exist in a superposition of multiple states simultaneously, a phenomenon that defies classical intuition. The triadic coefficient (3) mathematics offers a way to describe and quantify these superposition states.
Consider a quantum system with three possible states: A, B, and C. According to the triadic coefficient (3), there are six possible combinations of these states:
1. (A, B, C)
2. (A, C, B)
3. (B, A, C)
4. (B, C, A)
5. (C, A, B)
6. (C, B, A)
Each of these combinations could represent a distinct superposition state of the quantum system, where the particle exists in a linear combination or "superposition" of the individual states A, B, and C.
The "both/and" logic can then be applied to these combinations, allowing for the coexistence of multiple states simultaneously, which is a fundamental principle of quantum superposition.
Mathematically, we can represent a superposition state as a linear combination of the individual states, weighted by complex coefficients (amplitudes):
|Ψ> = a|A> + b|B> + c|C>
Here, |Ψ> represents the overall quantum state, and |A>, |B>, and |C> are the individual basis states. The complex coefficients a, b, and c determine the probability amplitudes of the particle being in each respective state.
The triadic coefficient (3) mathematics provides a way to enumerate and quantify these superposition states. For example, the combination (A, B, C) could correspond to the specific superposition state:
|Ψ> = (1/√3)|A> + (1/√3)|B> + (1/√3)|C>
where the particle exists in an equal superposition of the three states A, B, and C, each with an amplitude of 1/√3.
Other combinations, such as (A, C, B) or (B, C, A), would correspond to different superposition states with different probability amplitudes for each component.
The "both/and" logic allows us to interpret these superposition states as the particle existing in multiple states simultaneously, rather than being limited to a single definite state as in classical physics.
Moreover, the triadic coefficient (3) mathematics provides a systematic way to enumerate and quantify these superposition states, offering a rich mathematical framework for describing and analyzing quantum systems.
It's important to note that while this approach provides a conceptual model for understanding superposition, the actual mathematical treatment of quantum systems often involves more complex vector spaces and linear algebra techniques. However, the principles of "both/and" logic and triadic coefficient (3) mathematics can still offer valuable insights and alternative perspectives on this fundamental quantum phenomenon.
That’s not shrodingers cat
Unless the box was made of glass
You still can't really get it
Hmm…..alarm clock????? Really????
Shrodinger : theres no way you can know if the cats alive or dead Without opening the box
Cat : meOw..
It appears and to my understanding I can tell when we see the world around us we are currently in superposition where there can be infinite universe and species in different universe but when we have the capability to focus on each of them then we will know there is an ultimate power where all these converges and settles into one entity.
Intrigued by this idea that when we observe, say Schrodinger's cat we are seeing one state; let's say dead. Would some parallel version of us observe the cat as alive? That would mean superposition always exists. It's the observation that shows any one state in any one reality. I could be wrong.....or I could be right....or both.
I think your little example wrong because the sound of the alarm clock would reach outside of the box giving added information from within the box wouldn't it? anyways nice video
guys this is basically a "do you eat twix on the left side or right side first" without opening the wrapper
At quantum scale, charged particles with certain additional energies exist as waves. In that state, phase of it changes very fast and hence only amplitude peak direction (phase)detectable by interacting with Photon of suitable energy resulting in non quantum state. This appears instantaneous ( simultaneous) when compared to classical interpretation. Charged particle with certain additional energy comparable to a spinning coin in the air. When coin falls on the surface, loses additional energy and takes stable state: head or tail but one state only.
this series is fantastic! thank you dr mack for being so passionate about cosmology and being such a great communicator of it!
If it is just about probability, then parts to the wave should not have evened each other out
The only reason I sleep with a blanket is because it's the closest thing to experiencing a warm hug -Aleph Null.
Is it just a binary condition or simplified model for an infinite set of conditions?
Is the cat not sleeping and awake? Or is it not sleeping and not awake??
This is a pathetic video, Shrodingers Cat is not asleep. stupid woke video changed the original story.
I couldn't understand superposition first. How can an element have two properties at the same time??
Then I realized that it is indeed possible. A funny example is: We are both stupid and intelligent at the same time! Same person, two characteristics. We infact have more such traits in the same person. May be quantum stuff is also like that. The way we measure it, determines the outcome!!!
You still have a singular measurement of “intelligence”, in whatever measure you want to use. Of course you have multiple measurements possible, but that would literally be comparing apples to oranges.
Love Katie,,,,,Sean Carroll said If you accept quantum mechanics,,you have to belive the electron can be in 2 spins at the same time....Which means your allready on the road to the asylum,,,why not jump straight in & accept the observer & the whole universe is in a superposition ,,then many worlds ......Yea,,,the craziness is right there in the beginning with that sole electron .
Good explanation
Shrodinger did not believe in Superposition and neither do I. Its nonsense, the cat is dead or alive whether or not you look inside the box... duh.... SO STUPID....
Physics is not religion. Neither you nor Schroedinger were ever asked to believe in anything. Schroedinger should have known better, but he didn't. That you don't know better is kind of OK, you are not a physicist. I still don't know why you are trying to make a fool of yourself on the internet. :-)
What if they used a visible glass box...? The experiment may not follow the rules since all obstacles are not glass.🧐🤔 😅
that would be observing🤣🤣
The human is obviously in a superposition of having observed the cat to be asleep and having observed the cat to be awake until the human interacts with an observer.
????
I FINALLY GET SCHRÖDINGER'S CAT
👍👍
0:29 The answer is in *superposition*
Very mysterious! 😮#Superposition
Yes, that was the wrong explanation for QM... even though it's the one that you have all heard in undergrad courses. We really need to up the teaching game a lot here... otherwise these misconceptions about quantum mechanics will never disappear.
Yes either the future already exists or we really are living in a sort of simulation where events are continuously being created as we go along ,this is a difficult one to comprehend.
@@whizzer2944 And there is the boring person with his simulation hypothesis. ;-)
Stop editing history.
??
@@klgrn999I think b is referring to how she changed the cat from being alive or dead (original thought experiment) to being asleep or awake (a more palatable version for modern audiences, especially cat people 😉).
Boom goes kitty..
Be careful opening the box, kitty’s can get startled easily 😋. To communicate superposition across is no easy task. Its certainly not coffee table talk. Although, for Einstein and Schrödinger it was.
And there we have it, once again, a cute and simple thought experiment which is at the same time something mysterious and perplexing.
What other aspects of our human endeavors can benefit from an acceptance of superposition? Perhaps it could be key in getting past stalemates, in turn, alleviating conflict.
Or even in the formation of a girl group ATOMIC KITTEN did they infringe copyright.
@@whizzer2944 ahh, to copyright the fundamental laws of nature, sounds like the premise to a James Bond movie.
What a nice CAT 🐱.
Thanks Katie, Great explanation
BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️
The way too loud "background" music makes it almost impossible to hear the people talking. I'm sick of people with "background" music Overpowering the vocals.
The Schrödinger's cat experiment as explained here assumes that sound of the alarm clock does not leave the box.
Superposition is to Quantum Physics as the Trinity is to Christianity.
Nonsense.
Watching these just convinces me the there is no hard line between physics and philosophy
That's exactly what a person who doesn't understand physics will come to conclude. ;-)
Yea ,it's definitely getting blurier,,,especially the distinction between theorists & philosophers
@@spaceinyourface Only until you try to pass a theory exam in the physics department. Let me guess... you haven't. ;-)
@@schmetterling4477
Good guess Your absaloutley right, I have not.
I certainly recon I could though ,,& philosophy,,with a little revision. ;-)
@@spaceinyourface Yeah, but why would you want to waste your time on that bullshit. It's not like it's useful and they are hiring a lot of philosophers. Farmhands are more in demand. ;-)
Not exactly true. So the cat is not both awake and sleeping. It's just simple awake or sleeping. Not a big deal. The fact that we don't know where the particle is doesn't mean it's everywhere. The fact that we can't find the particle also doesn't mean it's everywhere. One day we will find new ways and discover it's all a theory.
There are no particles to begin with. Quanta are small amounts of energy. They are not objects. We have been teaching that in high school for almost 50 years, by the way. That people don't remember high school physics is a good indication that the way we teach high school is wrong. The material simply doesn't get remembered.
@@schmetterling4477 Two quantum entangled electróns are always refered to as entangled particles. And electróns are very much matter.
@@abrahamf6124 The "I saw it on the internet so it must be true" is strong in this one. :-)
Electrons are quanta of energy, just like photons. You are simply being led on by relativity here a bit. Relativity allows for two kinds of dispersion relations, one for massless and one for massive systems. If you look at the theory, however, then you will find that the "naked" fields in the standard model, which is based on gauge field theory, are all massless. They acquire effective mass by their interactions and that mass is scale dependent to boot. In other words, the details are complicated (and not at the level that the layman can overcome with handwaving). What you are being told on the internet, however, is simply not so. It oversimplifies the physics to the point where you might as well engage in finger painting.
The only way quantum mechanics will ever make sense to you is if you listen to what we were trying to tell you in high school: quanta are small amounts of energy. Energy doesn't behave like "particles" would. We simply couldn't tell you what deep consequences that has because those are filling 1200 page textbooks on quantum field theory.
@@abrahamf6124 If you want to know how "matter" emerges from irreversible energy exchanges, then reading Mott's 1929 paper on the wave mechanics of alpha-particle tracks is a very intuitive introduction to the consequences of weak measurement theory in a non-trivial and important physical system. Heisenberg had similar ideas a few yeas earlier about the connection between states of Rydberg atoms and classical orbits, which have been fully worked out more recently both in theory and experiment. What we call "stuff" is a mirage created by multiple consecutive measurements on the same quantum system.
This is the soft and fuzzy, version, for all those who grew up using bicycle helmets, that ensured those from the shallow end of the genetic pool, didn't learn risk management, firsthand.(results are still being tabulated and interpreted, expect the results in the future) The original thought experiment included an alive or dead cat, and a vial of poison.
It is a difficult task to reduce knowledge to the basics to excite the average person, but you do a great job. Thank you again, Katie and all the rest at the P I for your work at trying to understand the universe, and pass it on, right down to the smallest parts.
Keep up the excellent work.
Superposition is just the effect of the mass of a set particle as it nears the speed of light. Therefore explaining using simply scaling why it appears as if it is in a “superposition”
Why does me observing something make it true? Couldn't there be a state that is 100% true and when I observe it, I see its 100% true state? Could photons be particles that interact with each other similar to playing pool? Where your ball hits another ball can change the the direction of the ball you're hitting.
The quantum collapse that everybody is talking about is still ego-based. Just because you perceive a small part of something doesn't mean the rest of it doesn't exist. That's like saying when you see a whole forest and approach it in your car when you get close to it it collapses to the view just around the road which isn't true. The observer doesn't have any power or control but rather sees a small portion and considers it the entirety.
A star is an object that emits waves. If we conducted a thought experiment on a large scale, let’s say the size of a solar system, and we projected the sun through a slit with another slit as far away as Mars or Earth, you would see waves coming through the other slit. This is because as the sun travels to one slit, waves are also traveling, creating a wake of waves that travel with the sun the whole time, pouring light through both slits. Electrons do emit some level of energy so I am not fully convinced although the idea of superposition is a fascinating one.
How can anyone be offended by a thought experiment? Please don't insert woke mentality into physics...
The superposition is an invention of people to do predict the behaviour of an particle. It doesn’t change the reality. The particle is on point xyz in space of not!
Albert and Erwin were correct, this is all just nonsense. You might just as well reactivate the age-old debate as to how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.
But your scientists still don't believe in parallel universe
The cat can be awake without opening the box. It's a stupid example.
I’m confused on why it’s awake AND asleep, shouldn’t it be awake OR asleep? It’s not that it’s at both states but it’s at 1 state which is unknown before observation.
It exists in both places at the same time. When it is observed it is forced into one position. Not that it has only had one position the entire time, it has two. When we observe it picks one. Therefore before we observe the cat is awake and asleep.
super position is kind of scary
Maybe quantum is the reason people don’t know what bathrooms they are supposed to use 🤔😂😂
Nonsense!