Schrödinger’s Cat is a thought experiment used to highlight ambiguity in Quantum Physics.

Simplified: A cat is placed in a closed box containing a vial of poison with a 50 per cent chance of breaking. Before opening the box the cat is said to be in super-position, neither dead nor alive. Only once opened does nature force the cat into one of the equal-chanced positions. Curiosity kills the cat…or not.

In interpreting quantum physics Schrödinger’s Cat parallels radioactive atoms. Unless checked it cannot be known whether a radioactive atom has decayed in a certain time and thus these atoms have to be considered as both decayed and not.

 

Henry Beach

 

Want to find out more? Here is a quick video about the paradox:

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