Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: cheryl j on 11/09/2013 02:12:38

Title: is there an answer to whether Schrodinger's cat is dead yet
Post by: cheryl j on 11/09/2013 02:12:38
If you connect a larger system to a quantum one, what happens? Is the cat dead or alive or both? Can you really say you don't know until you look? Don't we have some kind of CO2 dead cat detector which would tell us?
Title: Re: is there an answer to whether Schrodinger's cat is dead yet
Post by: flr on 11/09/2013 02:35:34
The cat must be either dead or alive, but it cannot be both because the cat is so large (macroscopic) that it behave like a classic system.
The property of being 'alive' or 'dead' may not apply to small quantum objects.
Title: Re: is there an answer to whether Schrodinger's cat is dead yet
Post by: CliffordK on 11/09/2013 04:26:41
The Schrödinger's cat paridigm is from 1935.
At over 78 years old now...  surely it is long DEAD.

Schrödinger passed away January 4, 1961, 52 years ago which is still far beyond the probable lifespan of any housecat.
Title: Re: is there an answer to whether Schrodinger's cat is dead yet
Post by: alancalverd on 12/09/2013 21:18:56
Quote
is there an answer to whether Schrodinger's cat is dead yet?

Yes, or perhaps no, or maybe. You won't know until you open the box.
Title: Re: is there an answer to whether Schrodinger's cat is dead yet
Post by: Bill S on 12/09/2013 22:01:47
Quote from: Alancalverd
Yes, or perhaps no, or maybe. You won't know until you open the box.

Absolutely - I think!  but that's through lack of knowledge, rather than definite uncertainty. :)
Title: Re: is there an answer to whether Schrodinger's cat is dead yet
Post by: jeffreyH on 13/09/2013 02:25:26
But what was the cat's momentum or direction of travel at point of death?
Title: Re: is there an answer to whether Schrodinger's cat is dead yet
Post by: Pmb on 16/09/2013 05:15:35
The cat always knows whether he's alive or dead though.
Title: Re: is there an answer to whether Schrodinger's cat is dead yet
Post by: Skyli on 16/09/2013 10:31:48
It wasn't a cat, it was a ferret, but nobody bothered to look. If they had then they would have noticed that the ferret had worms, one of which had eaten an infinitesimally small hole in the bottom of the box through which the ferret escaped having been legally joined with a very large ferret in another universe.