It's an experiment Scrodinger performed. He put a cat in a box, which he rigged with some sort of toxin that would break and kill the cat at a random time. So, until the box is opened, the cat must be presumed to be both dead and alive.
by Anonymous13 years ago
It wasn't an actual experiment he performed it was just a thought experiment.
by Anonymous13 years ago
Yeah, I know, I checked it afterwards, as it isn't something I know too much about.
by Anonymous13 years ago
For the longest time when I was younger I thought it was an actual experiment, I was relieved when I found out it wasn't, lol.
by Anonymous13 years ago
It's not? oh thank god.
by Anonymous13 years ago
..but not both.
by Anonymous13 years ago
I love this. So much.
by Anonymous13 years ago
Chem jokes FTW!
by Anonymous13 years ago
lol how is this a chemistry joke?
by Anonymous13 years ago
My thoughts exactly, what does this have to do with chemistry?
by Anonymous13 years ago
I was taught this in Chemistry class, as an analogy for the location of electrons orbiting an atom. Electrons don't actually go around in perfect circles, they actually are in more of a random cloud formation around the nucleus. There is no way for us to determine where exactly an electron is at a certain time in the same way that you don't know where exactly the cat is. Where did you learn it?
by Anonymous13 years ago
It's more of a physics thing. Though i guess if that's how you learned it it being taught in chem makes sense.
by Anonymous13 years ago
Thats how I learned it too.
by Anonymous13 years ago
I learned it in psychology.
by Anonymous13 years ago
Bonus points for the umlaut!
by Anonymous13 years ago
Can someone please explain??
I'm confused.
by Anonymous13 years ago
its kinda complicated. pretty much it is just something, where depending on set circumstances, one thing can happen or another thing can happen. but because we don't know the circumstances, technically both are simultaneously happening at the same time, thus the cat is both walking into a bar and isn't walking into a bar.
by Anonymous13 years ago
Erwin Schrödinger proposed this Idea
The thought experiment went like this: A cat is placed in a room that is separated from the outside world. A Geiger counter and a little bit of a radioactive element are in the room. Within some time, say one hour, one of the atoms of the radioactive material may decay or it may not. The Geiger counter can measure that. If the material breaks down, it will release poisonous gas, which will kill the cat.
The question now is: at the end of the hour, is the cat alive or dead?
Schrödinger says that as long as the door is closed, the cat could be dead or alive. There is no way to know until the door is opened.
This experiment has a lot to do with probability in quantum mechanics where nothing actually happens until it is 'interfered' with or rather observed.
by Anonymous13 years ago
it was on the big bang theory (: thats how I learnt it.
by Anonymous13 years ago
Doesn't TI rule this out? The idea of the universe kind of splitting off into two? And when I read this, I laughed, but practically no one else in my family got it...
by Anonymous13 years ago
also, big bang theory :D
by Anonymous13 years ago
YES!
by Anonymous13 years ago
I understand it but I don't see how it is that funny
by Anonymous13 years ago
I DON"T GET IT!!!!!!! :(
by Anonymous13 years ago
thats the cat that is presumed both dead and alive until the box is opened right?
by Anonymous13 years ago
Legit mindfuck.
by Anonymous13 years ago
i definitely agree.
by Anonymous13 years ago
fuck yeah
by Anonymous13 years ago
I love this :)
by Anonymous13 years ago
I'm so glad I read "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" now.
DFTBA!!!
by Anonymous13 years ago
I HAVE THAT BOOK SIGNED :D :D :D
by Anonymous13 years ago
What does this post have to do with opinion? If it's a theory or law or whatever then....
by Anonymous13 years ago
According to quantum mechanics and, more specifically Schrödinger's equation, it's not that we don't know whether or not the cat is dead or alive, it's that, to the outside universe, all possibilities are happening at the same time. As for the electron "cloud", that's chalked up to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Theory (look it up) and, again Schrödingers equation.
And bonus points for knowing what an umlaut is, Anonymous, lol.
P.S. Does the word umlaut have an umlaut? I'm not actually sure, lol.
P.P.S. And yes, it is indeed physics, not chem. Chemistry is physics, but physics is not chem.
P.P.P.S Look up Schrödinger's cat on wikipedia, it has a fairly easy to understand article.
by Anonymous13 years ago
I'm still confused.
by Anonymous13 years ago
You have to be at least partially familiar with the basic concepts of quantum physics/willing to let go of your intuitive Newtonian view of the universe in order to understand it. Read up on it via wikipedia, it actually does help, but it can take a while to get through it all if you follow all the blue terms.
by Anonymous13 years ago
Anyone else first hear about this on Big Bang Theory?
by Anonymous13 years ago
Ohyes. Inner geek is jumping for joy. I love this. And don't.
by Anonymous13 years ago
hahaha i learned about that on big bang theory :)
by Anonymous13 years ago
When the cat stops meowing, wouldn't you know it's dead ? ;P
by Anonymous13 years ago
It is separated from our perception, not just visually, but physically as well. We would be unable to hear the meowing.
by Anonymous13 years ago
Am I the only one saddened by how many people are saying they learned this on The Big Bang Theory?
by Anonymous13 years ago
I knew about it since i was like 12, my brother told me about it. As far as i remember it was actually used to criticize a theory rather than to enforce one which i think most people don't know.
by Anonymous13 years ago
Ah.. Love
by Anonymous13 years ago
I know what Shrodinger's cat is, but I still don't get the post.
Explanation for the stupid people? Please?
by Anonymous13 years ago
This post is so awesome.
by Anonymous13 years ago
just looked it up. in the middle of a serious minfuck
by Anonymous13 years ago
Loooooove this post. I'm a huge big bang fan and a giant nerd :D Probably my favorite post ever!
by Anonymous13 years ago
I learned about Schrödinger's cat from a easter egg in Bioshock 2 :)
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