+1,206 Schrödinger's cat walks into a bar... and doesn't, amirite?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

<33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I love this post so much. <3

by Anonymous 13 years ago

-doesn't get it-

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It's an experiment Scrodinger performed. He put a cat in a box, which he rigged with some sort of toxin that would break and kill the cat at a random time. So, until the box is opened, the cat must be presumed to be both dead and alive.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It wasn't an actual experiment he performed it was just a thought experiment.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Yeah, I know, I checked it afterwards, as it isn't something I know too much about.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

For the longest time when I was younger I thought it was an actual experiment, I was relieved when I found out it wasn't, lol.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It's not? oh thank god.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

..but not both.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I love this. So much.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Chem jokes FTW!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

lol how is this a chemistry joke?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

My thoughts exactly, what does this have to do with chemistry?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I was taught this in Chemistry class, as an analogy for the location of electrons orbiting an atom. Electrons don't actually go around in perfect circles, they actually are in more of a random cloud formation around the nucleus. There is no way for us to determine where exactly an electron is at a certain time in the same way that you don't know where exactly the cat is. Where did you learn it?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It's more of a physics thing. Though i guess if that's how you learned it it being taught in chem makes sense.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Thats how I learned it too.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I learned it in psychology.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Bonus points for the umlaut!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Can someone please explain?? I'm confused.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

its kinda complicated. pretty much it is just something, where depending on set circumstances, one thing can happen or another thing can happen. but because we don't know the circumstances, technically both are simultaneously happening at the same time, thus the cat is both walking into a bar and isn't walking into a bar.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Erwin Schrödinger proposed this Idea The thought experiment went like this: A cat is placed in a room that is separated from the outside world. A Geiger counter and a little bit of a radioactive element are in the room. Within some time, say one hour, one of the atoms of the radioactive material may decay or it may not. The Geiger counter can measure that. If the material breaks down, it will release poisonous gas, which will kill the cat. The question now is: at the end of the hour, is the cat alive or dead? Schrödinger says that as long as the door is closed, the cat could be dead or alive. There is no way to know until the door is opened. This experiment has a lot to do with probability in quantum mechanics where nothing actually happens until it is 'interfered' with or rather observed.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

it was on the big bang theory (: thats how I learnt it.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Doesn't TI rule this out? The idea of the universe kind of splitting off into two? And when I read this, I laughed, but practically no one else in my family got it...

by Anonymous 13 years ago

also, big bang theory :D

by Anonymous 13 years ago

YES!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I understand it but I don't see how it is that funny

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I DON"T GET IT!!!!!!! :(

by Anonymous 13 years ago

thats the cat that is presumed both dead and alive until the box is opened right?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Legit mindfuck.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

i definitely agree.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

fuck yeah

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I love this :)

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I'm so glad I read "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" now. DFTBA!!!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I HAVE THAT BOOK SIGNED :D :D :D

by Anonymous 13 years ago

What does this post have to do with opinion? If it's a theory or law or whatever then....

by Anonymous 13 years ago

According to quantum mechanics and, more specifically Schrödinger's equation, it's not that we don't know whether or not the cat is dead or alive, it's that, to the outside universe, all possibilities are happening at the same time. As for the electron "cloud", that's chalked up to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Theory (look it up) and, again Schrödingers equation. And bonus points for knowing what an umlaut is, Anonymous, lol. P.S. Does the word umlaut have an umlaut? I'm not actually sure, lol. P.P.S. And yes, it is indeed physics, not chem. Chemistry is physics, but physics is not chem. P.P.P.S Look up Schrödinger's cat on wikipedia, it has a fairly easy to understand article.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I'm still confused.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

You have to be at least partially familiar with the basic concepts of quantum physics/willing to let go of your intuitive Newtonian view of the universe in order to understand it. Read up on it via wikipedia, it actually does help, but it can take a while to get through it all if you follow all the blue terms.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Anyone else first hear about this on Big Bang Theory?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Ohyes. Inner geek is jumping for joy. I love this. And don't.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

hahaha i learned about that on big bang theory :)

by Anonymous 13 years ago

When the cat stops meowing, wouldn't you know it's dead ? ;P

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It is separated from our perception, not just visually, but physically as well. We would be unable to hear the meowing.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Am I the only one saddened by how many people are saying they learned this on The Big Bang Theory?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I knew about it since i was like 12, my brother told me about it. As far as i remember it was actually used to criticize a theory rather than to enforce one which i think most people don't know.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Ah.. Love

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I know what Shrodinger's cat is, but I still don't get the post. Explanation for the stupid people? Please?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

This post is so awesome.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

just looked it up. in the middle of a serious minfuck

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Loooooove this post. I'm a huge big bang fan and a giant nerd :D Probably my favorite post ever!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I learned about Schrödinger's cat from a easter egg in Bioshock 2 :)

by Anonymous 13 years ago

this is now the post of two days! muahaha!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

i love this post!

by Anonymous 13 years ago