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Quantum Physics
Question about quantum superposition
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[QUOTE="PeroK, post: 6644209, member: 493650"] The wave function collapse is part of some interpretations of QM, which try to give some heuristic narrative to the core mathematics of QM. Wave function collapse is not a physical process that could be inhibited but part of an explanation of QM. QM is designed to model the behaviour of elementary systems. It doesn't replace classical mechanics, biology or veterinary medicine in terms of explaining a cat. That's part of the point of Schrödingers cat: that by a clever use of radioactive decay (that is governed directly by QM), we can impose quantum criteria on a cat, which is potentially absurd. The fact that a cat cannot be both dead and alive is supposed to highlight that there is something wrong or missing in QM. Yes, but in QM it's not a question of not knowing, it's a question of properties being undefined until measured - which doesn't fit very well with the way a macroscopic object like a cat behaves. Yes, that sort of argument is part of the puzzle. The mouse must logically be in a superposition as well: 1) hiding from a live cat; and, 2) relaxing upon seeing a dead cat! The existence of an atom is not defined or determined by having certain classical properties, such as well-defined position. It's a mistake to think that if an atom is quantum mechanical, then it somehow doesn't exist. It exists, but behaves non classically. The atom is not in two places at once. It simply does not have a position until measured. This is confused thinking based on a basic misunderstanding of QM, superposition and atomic position measurements. The true answer is to learn the mathematics of QM. That is the language that describes QM fully and without ambiguity. It's only when you try to describe things in everyday terms that the problems start. Then learn the mathematics. Superposition is a simpe idea in mathematical terms. You are better with a textbook for that. [/QUOTE]
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Question about quantum superposition
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