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January 24, 2005

Fun Trivia

Posted by Frank J. at 09:56 AM | View blog reactions | Comments (22)

In Schrödinger’s cat theory, if you put a live cat in a lead box, throw a capsule of cyanide in and immediately seal the box, since you don't know if the capsule has broken or not, quantum physics dictates that the cat is both dead and alive until you open the box and force the cat into one condition by observing him. Well, I just put a real cat in a lead box and threw in one of my spare cyanide capsules before sealing it up. Let's see how the cat is doing...

He's dead! You killed him by observing him, you bastard!

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Fun Trivia
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22 Responses To "Fun Trivia"

sorry!

#1 - Posted by: Daniel on January 24, 2005 10:08 AM

We had to change our cat's name to Flea Biscuit, based on observation.

#2 - Posted by: McWert Deglieb on January 24, 2005 10:18 AM

Er... no, actually not.

The original "experiment" has a sensor to determine the quantum state of a particle and cracks open the pill once it is determined.

You actually threw the pill, that's not a quantic phenomenon. Sorry Frank, if the cat is dead you killed it.

Kitten killer. I'm telling Sarah.

#3 - Posted by: kyber on January 24, 2005 10:36 AM

I've never liked those damn quantum physicists. YOU BASTARDS STEAL ALL THE WOMEN FROM US CLASSICAL PHYSICISTS, THIS IS WAR!!!

#4 - Posted by: Chase on January 24, 2005 10:38 AM

If Schrödinger is correct, then IMAO both existed and didn't exist before I found the site.

That explains a lot.

#5 - Posted by: basil on January 24, 2005 10:38 AM

Oops
(me no like the number thingy)

#6 - Posted by: Joey D on January 24, 2005 10:41 AM

doesn't the number thingy prevent the quantum indetermicy from truly working in this?

#7 - Posted by: unregistered user on January 24, 2005 10:58 AM

I'm sorry, but if you seal a cat in a lead box, even without the cyanide pill, that cat will be dead fairly quickly (cats need to breathe, don't they?)

#8 - Posted by: No one of consequence on January 24, 2005 11:01 AM

I meant the big number thingy, where big numbers of particles cancel out the quantom mechanics and obey classical mechanics

#9 - Posted by: unregistered user on January 24, 2005 11:01 AM

I hate cats anyway. So what's the difference? It was YOUR cat, and YOU threw him in a lead box. Therefore, it is YOUR fault.
*You almost sounded liberal by blaming others for YOUR own actions.*

#10 - Posted by: Steve on January 24, 2005 11:10 AM

Cat? What cat? All I've got here is this annoying cloud of indeterminate particles. That sheds.

#11 - Posted by: aelfheld on January 24, 2005 11:33 AM

So... if a tree falls in a forest and no one observes it, has it really fallen?

#12 - Posted by: Anonymous Non-ronin on January 24, 2005 11:43 AM

i think there are more human ways to treat cats... like on www.bonsaikitten.com sweet huh?

#13 - Posted by: frenchman on January 24, 2005 02:20 PM

Frank, Frank, Frank. Tsk-tsk. You'd think a Carnegie-Mellon graduate would know what Schrödinger was really getting at. He was pointing out that because quantum events are indeterminate, linking a physical event to said quantum event (thus making it observable) was also indeterminate. This being said, he NEVER said the cat could be in both states. This was used to make the point that the quantum event would never be in both states either. NEVER! The difference is that once you observe the event you will realize which state it is in - not thereby force a state change. His point was that the observer does NOT determine the state of a quantum event any more than he determines the state of the cat, yet sci-fi authors completely reversed this concept to make for more interesting plots (parallel universes, anyone?) Shameful. What other crazy ideas do they teach you guys at CMU?

#14 - Posted by: Beo on January 24, 2005 02:59 PM

But what about the classic double-slit experiment of quantum physics, wherein light acts as both a particle and a wave until you "know" whether it acted as a particle or a wave and then is only acts one way? It has been replicated many times and the phenomenon does exist, thereby establishing that the light was, in fact, in two states until the observer observed the state, thus establishing the state.

So, you put a cat in a box with two small holes in it. You then fire a laser through the box. Now, what happened to the cat?

Who Cares! It was just a cat and you a freakin' laser beam to play with! Go find some hate-filled lefties and experiment on them. Again and again and again...

#15 - Posted by: Chris on January 24, 2005 03:12 PM

Beo,
I've read my Scientific American! The cat is in both states until observed. Hell, nothing really exists until it's observed (including distant universes).

#16 - Posted by: Frank J. on January 24, 2005 03:14 PM

Ah, so CMU reads Scientific American in physics class. Do CMU students believe in gravity, or are they in a perpetual state of falling to their deaths and NOT falling to their deaths? It's like Wile E. Coyote when he runs off a cliff - he won't fall unless he looks down.

Your perspective on quantum mechanics is very liberal Frank! Subjective reality? You're starting to sound like a DUer!

#17 - Posted by: Beo on January 24, 2005 03:25 PM

Why do you have spare Cyanide capsules around Frank?

#18 - Posted by: Chris on January 24, 2005 03:30 PM

Is that why the moonbats are always clamoring for attention? They fear they won't exist if CNN is broadcasting them for all to see?
But what will they do when CNN loses its last dozen viewers...

#19 - Posted by: SCSIwuzzy on January 24, 2005 03:52 PM

"if you don't write it down it never happened." Cathy Ryan

#20 - Posted by: Mechtech on January 24, 2005 08:23 PM

You might not be observing, but the cat is, unless its dead.

#21 - Posted by: godsauce on January 25, 2005 02:20 AM

#22 - Posted by: ded on February 4, 2005 04:10 AM