Exploring the Role of Measurement in the Schrödinger's Cat Paradox

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In summary: But it is not a measurement, rather an interaction. The cat is not just a passive observer, but an active participant in the collapse of the wave function. The paradox of Shroedinger's Cat is more of a semantic issue, as the cat's status as an observer or not does not change the fact that the wave function will collapse upon interaction with any macroscopic object. Therefore, the paradox would still exist even if the cat was replaced with a non-observer, such as a binary random number generator. In summary, the famous thought experiment of Shroedinger’s Cat presents a paradox about the role of observation in collapsing the quantum wave function. While the cat is often seen as the observer in this experiment, any macroscopic object
  • #1
RAD4921
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In the famous thought experiment of Shroedinger’s Cat, we never consider the cat itself as an observer. The cat would no doubt be able to tell whether it is dead or alive without anyone opening the box. I think this is just a problem of semantics and if you were to replace the cat with a binary random number generator the paradox would still be there.
 
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  • #2
The cat is supposed to be in a quantum supperposed state. Of course it is not happening with macroscopic objects. Macroscopic objects cannot be in a supeposed state because of decoherence due to large statistics. Is that what you mean when you say the cat is an observer, because it would destroy coherence ? Erwin's point was exactly that, if you talk to people about atoms, they do not listen. If you talk to them about the cute little kitty, and say you are going to torture it, then they listen. :smile:
 
  • #3
The cat itself is an observer. The cat is either dead or alive. The rules of QM don't apply here. Only the outside observer's lack of knowledge is involved . His knowledge is in an OR state. The QM state is an AND state.

juju
 
  • #4
This is not very accurate a statement : the observer's knoledge is a XOR about the cat and a AND about the atom, whence the paradox. As you said, the cat is an observer, or causes decoherence, and so the knowledge for the atom is a XOR too, and in the end there is no paradox.
 
  • #5
That's right. but the XOR condition excludes an AND condition,
so there can be no superposition.

juju
 
  • #6
The Grad student

A grad student pointed that out to me, that the cat is also an observer. I know what you mean by the macroscopic cat not being in a quantum supperposed state. I was more or less having fun with Shroedinger's Cat and I also wante to point out that the object being observed does not have to be what we might call an animate object. If there is such a thing as an inanimate obeject?
 
  • #7
It must only be any macroscopic object, so that decoherence applies.
 
  • #8
wave collapse

Well I always thought that the act of observation is supposed to collapse the wave function. I have also wondered if the collapse may due to the introduction of measurement and not a real property of the universe.I will admut though that I am more a philosopher than a physicist so any information would be helpful. Thanks
Rad4921
 
  • #9
The collapse is said to be due to measurement. However, any interaction with a macroscopic object, be it measurement or not, will cause the collapse. It "could have been" a measurement, and can be called a "measurement" in a generalized meaning.
 

1. What is the "9 lives of Schrödinger's Cat" thought experiment?

The "9 lives of Schrödinger's Cat" thought experiment is a theoretical experiment proposed by Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger in 1935. It aims to illustrate the paradoxical nature of quantum mechanics, specifically the principle of superposition, by imagining a cat in a sealed box with a radioactive substance that has a 50/50 chance of decaying and releasing a deadly poison. According to quantum mechanics, until the box is opened and the cat is observed, it exists in a state of both being alive and dead at the same time.

2. Is the "9 lives of Schrödinger's Cat" thought experiment real?

No, the "9 lives of Schrödinger's Cat" thought experiment is purely theoretical and has never been carried out in real life. It was proposed to highlight the peculiarities of quantum mechanics and does not reflect actual scientific experiments or observations.

3. How does the "9 lives of Schrödinger's Cat" thought experiment relate to quantum mechanics?

The "9 lives of Schrödinger's Cat" thought experiment is often used to explain the principle of superposition in quantum mechanics. This principle suggests that until an object is observed or measured, it exists in all possible states simultaneously. Schrödinger's cat is used as an example of this principle, as the cat is both alive and dead until it is observed.

4. What is the significance of the "9 lives of Schrödinger's Cat" thought experiment?

The "9 lives of Schrödinger's Cat" thought experiment is significant in that it challenges our understanding of reality and raises questions about the nature of quantum mechanics. It also highlights the bizarre and counterintuitive nature of quantum mechanics, which differs greatly from classical physics.

5. Can the "9 lives of Schrödinger's Cat" thought experiment be applied to other objects besides a cat?

Yes, the "9 lives of Schrödinger's Cat" thought experiment can be applied to any object that exists in a state of superposition, meaning it exists in multiple states simultaneously. While the thought experiment uses a cat to illustrate this concept, it can theoretically be applied to any object, from subatomic particles to larger objects. However, the practicality of observing such superposition in larger objects is still a topic of debate among scientists.

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