Why is Schrodinger's Cat entangled? Or is it not?

In summary, Schrodinger's Cat is entangled because the state of the cat (dead or alive) is unknown before opening the box, making it a superposition of both states. When the box is opened, the observer becomes entangled with the cat, creating an observer state that is also entangled with the cat's state. This resolves the issue of the cat being in a superposition. Additionally, decoherence occurs before the box is opened, transforming the pure state into an improper mixed state, which cannot be distinguished from an actual mixed state.
  • #1
QuantumPixel
7
1
Why is Schrodinger's Cat entangled? Or is it not? I recently saw a poster on deviantart that said this: http://browse.deviantart.com/art/WANTED-Schrodinger-s-Cat-130508078 [Broken]
It said it was in a superposition, that i get, but the entanglement? That i don't get.

-QuantumPixel
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
since you understand the first part then the rest will be easy to understand hopefully. The fact that the state of the cat (dead or alive) is unknown before opening the box makes its state a superposition of both. When the box is opened by the observer, the observer becomes entangled with the cat and this forms an observer state corresponding to the cat being dead or alive, and hence the observer state is entangled with that of the cat.
 
  • #3
Well actually in the Schrodinger's Cat thought experiment long before the box is opened decoherence has occurred transforming the pure state into an improper mixed state. Observationally there is no way to tell an improper mixed state from an actual one so its perfectly OK to assume it was in the observed state prior to observation - hey presto - issue resolved.

Thanks
Bill
 
Last edited:
  • #4
Dundeephysics said:
since you understand the first part then the rest will be easy to understand hopefully. The fact that the state of the cat (dead or alive) is unknown before opening the box makes its state a superposition of both. When the box is opened by the observer, the observer becomes entangled with the cat and this forms an observer state corresponding to the cat being dead or alive, and hence the observer state is entangled with that of the cat.

Now i understand. Thanks for your time and contribution.

-QuantumPixel
 
  • Like
Likes Dundeephysics

1. Why is Schrodinger's Cat considered to be entangled?

Schrodinger's Cat is considered to be entangled because it is a thought experiment used to explain the concept of quantum entanglement. In this experiment, a cat is placed in a sealed box with a radioactive substance. The state of the cat (alive or dead) is linked to the state of the radioactive substance, which is in a superposition of both decayed and not decayed states. This means that until the box is opened and the state of the radioactive substance is observed, the state of the cat is also in a superposition of alive and dead states, making it entangled with the radioactive substance.

2. How does quantum entanglement apply to Schrodinger's Cat?

Quantum entanglement is a phenomenon in quantum mechanics where two or more particles can become connected in such a way that the state of one particle affects the state of the other, regardless of how far apart they are. In the case of Schrodinger's Cat, the cat and the radioactive substance become entangled, meaning that the state of the radioactive substance affects the state of the cat, even though they are in a sealed box and not in direct contact with each other.

3. Is Schrodinger's Cat actually entangled, or is it just a thought experiment?

Schrodinger's Cat is primarily a thought experiment used to explain the concept of quantum entanglement. However, in some interpretations of quantum mechanics, such as the many-worlds interpretation, the cat is considered to be both alive and dead in different branches of the universe. This can be seen as a form of entanglement between the cat and the radioactive substance in each branch.

4. Can entanglement be observed in real-life scenarios?

Yes, entanglement has been observed in numerous experiments in quantum physics. For example, entangled particles have been shown to have correlated spins, meaning that the spin of one particle will always be opposite to the spin of the other, regardless of the distance between them. This has been demonstrated through experiments such as the Bell test.

5. What are the implications of entanglement in quantum mechanics?

Entanglement is a fundamental aspect of quantum mechanics and has important implications for the behavior of particles at the quantum level. It allows for seemingly instantaneous communication between particles, which has potential applications in quantum computing and communication. It also challenges our understanding of the classical world, where objects are assumed to have definite properties and be independent of each other. Entanglement suggests that at the quantum level, this may not be the case.

Similar threads

  • Quantum Physics
5
Replies
143
Views
5K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
17
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
2
Views
818
Replies
8
Views
708
Replies
42
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
14
Views
2K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
5
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
6
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
4
Views
1K
Back
Top