Schrödinger's theory in simple words. "Schrödinger's cat" - an entertaining thought experiment

There was a kind of "secondary". He himself rarely dealt with a specific scientific problem. His favorite genre of work was a response to someone's scientific research, development of this work or its criticism. Despite the fact that Schrödinger himself was an individualist by nature, he always needed someone else's thought, support for further work. Despite this peculiar approach, Schrödinger managed to make many discoveries.

Biographical information

Schrödinger's theory is now known not only to students of physics and mathematics departments. It will be of interest to anyone who is interested in popular science. This theory was created by the famous physicist E. Schrodinger, who went down in history as one of the creators of quantum mechanics. The scientist was born on August 12, 1887 in the family of the owner of an oilcloth factory. The future scientist, who became famous all over the world for his mystery, was fond of botany and drawing as a child. His first mentor was his father. In 1906, Schrödinger began his studies at the University of Vienna, during which he began to admire physics. When the first came World War, the scientist went to serve as an artilleryman. IN free time studied the theories of Albert Einstein.

By the beginning of 1927, a dramatic situation had developed in science. E. Schrödinger believed that the idea of the continuity of waves should serve as the basis for the theory of quantum processes. Heisenberg, on the contrary, believed that the concept of the discreteness of waves, as well as the idea of quantum jumps, should be the foundation for this area of knowledge. Niels Bohr did not accept any of the positions.

Advances in Science

For the concept of wave mechanics in 1933, Schrödinger received the Nobel Prize. However, having been brought up in the traditions of classical physics, the scientist could not think in other categories and did not consider quantum mechanics to be a full-fledged branch of knowledge. He could not be satisfied with the dual behavior of particles, and he tried to reduce it exclusively to the wave behavior. In his discussion with N. Bohr, Schrödinger put it this way: “If we plan to keep these quantum leaps in science, then I generally regret that I connected my life with atomic physics.”

Further work of the researcher

At the same time, Schrödinger was not only one of the founders of modern quantum mechanics. It was he who introduced the term "objectivity of description" into scientific use. This is an opportunity scientific theories describe reality without the participation of the observer. His further research was devoted to the theory of relativity, thermodynamic processes, Born's nonlinear electrodynamics. Also, scientists have made several attempts to create a unified field theory. In addition, E. Schrödinger spoke six languages.

The most famous riddle

Schrödinger's theory, in which the same cat appears, grew out of the scientist's criticism of quantum theory. One of its main postulates is that as long as the system is not observed, it is in a state of superposition. Namely, in two or more states that exclude the existence of each other. The state of superposition in science has the following definition: it is the ability of a quantum, which can also be an electron, a photon, or, for example, the nucleus of an atom, to be simultaneously in two states or even at two points in space at a time when no one is watching him.

Objects in different worlds

It is very difficult for an ordinary person to understand such a definition. After all, each object of the material world can be either at one point in space or at another. This phenomenon can be illustrated in the following way. The observer takes two boxes and puts a tennis ball in one of them. It will be clear that it is in one box and not in the other. But if an electron is placed in one of the containers, then the following statement will be true: this particle is simultaneously in two boxes, no matter how paradoxical it may seem. In the same way, an electron in an atom is not located at a strictly defined point at one time or another. It rotates around the nucleus, being located at all points of the orbit at the same time. In science, this phenomenon is called "electron cloud".

What did the scientist want to prove?

Thus, the behavior of small and large objects is implemented in a completely different way. different rules. In the quantum world, there are some laws, and in the macrocosm - completely different. However, there is no such concept that would explain the transition from the world material items familiar to people to the microworld. Schrödinger's theory was created in order to demonstrate the insufficiency of research in the field of physics. The scientist wanted to show that there is a science whose purpose is to describe small objects, and there is a field of knowledge that studies ordinary objects. Largely due to the work of the scientist, physics was divided into two areas: quantum and classical.

Schrödinger's theory: description

The scientist described his famous thought experiment in 1935. In its implementation, Schrödinger relied on the principle of superposition. Schrödinger emphasized that as long as we do not observe the photon, it can be either a particle or a wave; both red and green; both round and square. This uncertainty principle, which directly follows from the concept of quantum dualism, was used by Schrödinger in his famous cat riddle. The meaning of the experiment in brief is as follows:

A cat is placed in a closed box, as well as a container containing hydrocyanic acid and a radioactive substance.
The nucleus can disintegrate within an hour. The probability of this is 50%.
If the atomic nucleus decays, then this will be recorded by the Geiger counter. The mechanism will work and the poison box will be broken. The cat will die.
If the decay does not occur, then Schrödinger's cat will be alive.

According to this theory, until the cat is observed, it is simultaneously in two states (dead and alive), just like the nucleus of an atom (decayed or not decayed). Of course, this is possible only according to the laws of the quantum world. In the macrocosm, a cat cannot be both alive and dead at the same time.

Observer paradox

To understand the essence of Schrödinger's theory, it is also necessary to have an understanding of the paradox of the observer. Its meaning is that the objects of the microcosm can be simultaneously in two states only when they are not observed. For example, the so-called "Experiment with 2 slits and an observer" is known in science. On an opaque plate in which two vertical slits were made, scientists directed a beam of electrons. On the screen behind the plate, the electrons painted a wave pattern. In other words, they left black and white stripes. When the researchers wanted to observe how the electrons fly through the slits, the particles displayed only two vertical stripes on the screen. They behaved like particles, not like waves.

Copenhagen explanation

The modern explanation of Schrödinger's theory is called the Copenhagen one. Based on the paradox of the observer, it sounds like this: as long as no one observes the nucleus of an atom in the system, it is simultaneously in two states - decayed and undecayed. However, the statement that the cat is alive and dead at the same time is extremely erroneous. After all, the same phenomena are never observed in the macrocosm as in the microcosm.

That's why we are talking not about the “cat-core” system, but about the fact that the Geiger counter and the nucleus of the atom are interconnected. The kernel can choose one or another state at the moment when the measurements are made. However, this choice does not take place at the moment when the experimenter opens the box with Schrödinger's cat. In fact, the opening of the box takes place in the macrocosm. In other words, in a system that is very far from the atomic world. Therefore, the nucleus selects its state exactly at the moment when it hits the detector of the Geiger counter. Thus, Erwin Schrödinger, in his thought experiment, did not fully describe the system.

General conclusions

Thus, it is not entirely correct to associate the macrosystem with the microscopic world. In the macrocosm, quantum laws lose their force. The nucleus of an atom can be simultaneously in two states only in the microcosm. The same cannot be said about the cat, since it is an object of the macrocosm. Therefore, only at first glance it seems that the cat passes from the superposition to one of the states at the moment of opening the box. In fact, its fate is determined at the moment when the atomic nucleus interacts with the detector. The conclusion can be drawn as follows: the state of the system in Erwin Schrödinger's riddle has nothing to do with a person. It does not depend on the experimenter, but on the detector - an object that "observes" the nucleus.

Continuation of the concept

Schrödinger theory in simple words is described as follows: while the observer does not look at the system, it can be simultaneously in two states. However, another scientist - Eugene Wigner, went further and decided to bring the concept of Schrödinger to complete absurdity. “Excuse me!” said Wigner, “what if next to the experimenter watching the cat is his colleague?” The partner does not know what exactly the experimenter himself saw at the moment when he opened the box with the cat. Schrödinger's cat leaves the state of superposition. However, not for a fellow observer. Only at that moment, when the fate of the cat becomes known to the latter, can the animal be finally called alive or dead. In addition, there are billions of people on planet Earth. And the final verdict can be made only when the result of the experiment becomes the property of all living beings. Of course, all people can be told the fate of the cat and Schrödinger's theory briefly, but this is a very long and laborious process.

The principles of quantum dualism in physics were never refuted by Schrödinger's thought experiment. In a sense, every creature can be called neither alive nor dead (being in superposition) as long as there is at least one person who is not watching him.

If you are interested in an article on the topic of quantum physics, then there is a high probability that you love the Big Bang Theory series. So, Sheldon Cooper came up with a fresh interpretation Schrödinger's thought experiment(You can find a video with this fragment at the end of the article). But in order to understand Sheldon's dialogue with his neighbor Penny, let's first turn to the classical interpretation. So, Schrödinger's Cat in simple words.

In this article, we will look at:

Brief historical background
Description of the experiment with Schrödinger's Cat
Solving the paradox of Schrödinger's Cat

Straightaway good news. During the experiment Schrödinger's cat was not harmed. Because the physicist Erwin Schrödinger, one of the creators of quantum mechanics, only conducted a thought experiment.

Before diving into the description of the experiment, let's make a mini digression into history.

At the beginning of the last century, scientists managed to look into the microcosm. Despite the outward similarity of the “atom-electron” model with the “Sun-Earth” model, it turned out that the Newtonian laws of classical physics familiar to us do not work in the microcosm. Therefore, there was new science- quantum physics and its component - quantum mechanics. All microscopic objects of the microworld were called quanta.

Attention! One of the postulates of quantum mechanics is "superposition". It will be useful to us for understanding the essence of the Schrödinger experiment.

"Superposition" is the ability of a quantum (it can be an electron, a photon, the nucleus of an atom) is not in one, but in several states at the same time or is located at several points in space at the same time, if no one is watching

It is difficult for us to understand this, because in our world an object can have only one state, for example, to be, or alive, or dead. And it can only be in one specific place in space. You can read about “superposition” and the stunning results of quantum physics experiments in this article.

Here is a simple illustration of the difference in the behavior of micro and macro objects. Place a ball in one of the 2 boxes. Because the ball is an object of our macro world, you will say with confidence: "The ball lies in only one of the boxes, while the second one is empty." If, instead of a ball, you take an electron, then the statement will be true that it is simultaneously in 2 boxes. This is how the laws of the microworld work. Example: the electron in reality does not rotate around the nucleus of an atom, but is located at all points of the sphere around the nucleus at the same time. In physics and chemistry, this phenomenon is called the "electron cloud".

Summary. We realized that the behavior of a very small object and a large object obey different laws. The laws of quantum physics and the laws of classical physics, respectively.

But there is no science that would describe the transition from the macrocosm to the microcosm. So, Erwin Schrödinger described his thought experiment just to demonstrate the incompleteness of the general theory of physics. He wanted Schrödinger's paradox to show that there is a science for describing large objects (classical physics) and a science for describing micro-objects (quantum physics). But there is not enough science to describe the transition from quantum systems to macrosystems.

Description of the experiment with Schrödinger's Cat

Erwin Schrödinger described the cat thought experiment in 1935. The original version of the description of the experiment is presented in Wikipedia ( Schrödinger's cat Wikipedia).

Here is a version of the description of the Schrödinger's Cat experiment in simple words:

A cat was placed in a closed steel box.
In the "Schrödinger box" there is a device with a radioactive core and poisonous gas placed in a container.
The nucleus may disintegrate within 1 hour or not. The probability of decay is 50%.
If the nucleus decays, then the Geiger counter will record it. The relay will work and the hammer will break the gas container. Schrödinger's cat is dead.
If not, then Schrödinger's cat will be alive.

According to the law of "superposition" of quantum mechanics, at a time when we are not observing the system, the nucleus of an atom (and, consequently, the cat) is in 2 states at the same time. The nucleus is in the decayed/non-decayed state. And the cat is in a state of being alive/dead at the same time.

But we know for sure that if the "Schrödinger's box" is opened, then the cat can only be in one of the states:

if the core has not disintegrated, our cat is alive
if the core has disintegrated, the cat is dead

The paradox of the experiment is that according to quantum physics: before opening the box, the cat is both alive and dead at the same time, but according to the laws of physics of our world, this is impossible. cat can be in one specific state - to be alive or to be dead. There is no mixed state "cat alive/dead" at the same time.

Before you get the clue, watch this wonderful video illustration of the paradox of the Schrödinger's cat experiment (less than 2 minutes):

Solving the paradox of Schrödinger's Cat - Copenhagen interpretation

Now the clue. Pay attention to the special mystery of quantum mechanics - observer paradox. The object of the microworld (in our case, the core) is in several states at the same time only as long as we don't monitor the system.

For example, famous experiment with 2 slits and an observer. When an electron beam was directed to an opaque plate with 2 vertical slits, then on the screen behind the plate, the electrons drew a “wave pattern” - vertical alternating dark and light stripes. But when the experimenters wanted to “see” how the electrons fly through the slits and installed an “observer” from the side of the screen, the electrons drew on the screen not a “wave pattern”, but 2 vertical stripes. Those. behaved not like waves, but like particles.

It seems that quantum particles themselves decide what state they will take at the moment when they are "measured".

Based on this, the modern Copenhagen explanation (interpretation) of the phenomenon of "Schrödinger's Cat" sounds like this:

While no one is watching the "cat-core" system, the core is in the state of decayed / non-decayed at the same time. But it is a mistake to say that the cat is alive/dead at the same time. Why? Yes, because quantum phenomena are not observed in macrosystems. It is more correct to speak not about the “cat-core” system, but about the “nucleus-detector (Geiger counter)” system.

The nucleus chooses one of the states (decayed/non-decayed) at the moment of observation (or measurement). But this choice does not take place at the moment when the experimenter opens the box (the opening of the box takes place in the macrocosm, very far from the world of the nucleus). The nucleus chooses its state at the moment when it hits the detector. The point is that the system is not sufficiently described in the experiment.

Thus, the Copenhagen interpretation of the Schrödinger's Cat paradox denies that before the opening of the box, the Schrödinger's Cat was in a state of superposition - it was in the state of a live/dead cat at the same time. A cat in the macrocosm can and is only in one state.

Summary. Schrödinger did not fully describe the experiment. It is not correct (more precisely, it is impossible to connect) macroscopic and quantum systems. Quantum laws do not operate in our macrosystems. In this experiment, it is not “cat-core” that interacts, but “cat-detector-core”. The cat is from the macrocosm, and the “detector-core” system is from the microcosm. And only in its quantum world, the nucleus can be in 2 states at the same time. This occurs before the moment of measurement or interaction of the nucleus with the detector. A cat in its macrocosm can be and is only in one state. That's why, it only at first glance seems that the state of the cat "alive or dead" is determined at the moment of opening the box. In fact, its fate is determined at the moment of interaction between the detector and the nucleus.

Final summary. The state of the "detector-nucleus-cat" system is connected NOT with the person - the observer behind the box, but with the detector - the observer behind the nucleus.

Phew. Almost brainwashed! But how pleasant it is to understand the key to the paradox! As in an old student joke about a teacher: “While I was telling, I understood it myself!”.

Sheldon's interpretation of Schrödinger's Cat paradox

Now you can sit back and listen to Sheldon's latest interpretation of Schrödinger's thought experiment. The essence of his interpretation is that it can be applied in relations between people. To understand a good relationship between a man and a woman or bad - you need to open the box (go on a date). And before that, they are both good and bad at the same time.

Well, how do you like this "cute experiment"? In our time, Schrödinger would have been punished by animal rights activists for such brutal thought experiments with a cat. Or maybe it was not a cat, but Schrödinger's Cat?! Poor girl, suffered from this Schrodinger (((

See you in the next posts!

I wish you all a good day and a pleasant evening!

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In 1935, the great physicist, Nobel laureate and founder of quantum mechanics Erwin Schrödinger formulated his famous paradox.

The scientist suggested that if you take a certain cat and place it in a steel opaque box with a "hellish machine", then in an hour he will be alive and dead at the same time. The mechanism in the box is as follows: inside the Geiger counter is a microscopic amount of radioactive material that can decay into only one atom in an hour; in this case, it may not decay with the same probability. If the decay does occur, then the lever mechanism will work and the hammer will break the vessel with hydrocyanic acid and the cat will die; if there is no decay, then the vessel will remain intact, and the cat will be alive and well.

If it were not about a cat and a box, but about the world of subatomic particles, then scientists would say that the cat is both alive and dead at the same time, but in the macrocosm this conclusion is incorrect. So why do we operate with such concepts when it comes to smaller particles of matter?

Schrödinger's illustration is the best example to describe the main paradox of quantum physics: according to its laws, particles such as electrons, photons, and even atoms exist in two states at the same time ("alive" and "dead", if you remember the long-suffering cat). These states are called superpositions.

American physicist Art Hobson (Art Hobson) from the University of Arkansas (Arkansas State University) offered his solution to this paradox.

"Measurements in quantum physics are based on the operation of certain macroscopic devices, such as the Geiger counter, which determine the quantum state of microscopic systems - atoms, photons and electrons. Quantum theory implies that if you connect a microscopic system (particle) to some macroscopic device, distinguishing between two different states of the system, then the device (Geiger counter, for example) will go into a state of quantum entanglement and will also be simultaneously in two superpositions. However, it is impossible to observe this phenomenon directly, which makes it unacceptable, "says the physicist.

Hobson says that in Schrödinger's paradox, the cat plays the role of a macroscopic device, a Geiger counter, connected to a radioactive nucleus to determine the state of decay or "non-decay" of this nucleus. In this case, a live cat would be an indicator of "non-decay" and a dead cat would be an indicator of decay. But according to quantum theory, the cat, like the nucleus, must be in two superpositions of life and death.

Instead, according to the physicist, the quantum state of the cat must be entangled with the state of the atom, which means that they are in a "non-local connection" with each other. That is, if the state of one of the entangled objects suddenly changes to the opposite, then the state of its pair will also change in the same way, no matter how far apart they are. In doing so, Hobson refers to this quantum theory.

"The most interesting thing in the theory of quantum entanglement is that the change in the state of both particles occurs instantly: no light or electromagnetic signal would have time to transfer information from one system to another. Thus, we can say that this is one object divided into two parts space, no matter how great the distance between them," explains Hobson.

Schrödinger's cat is no longer alive and dead at the same time. He is dead if decay happens, and alive if decay never happens.

We add that similar solutions to this paradox have been proposed by three more groups of scientists over the past thirty years, but they were not taken seriously and remained unnoticed in the broad scientific community. Hobson notes that the solution of the paradoxes of quantum mechanics, at least theoretical, is absolutely necessary for its deep understanding.

To my shame, I want to admit that I heard this expression, but did not know at all what it meant and at least on what topic it was used. Let me tell you what I read on the Internet about this cat ...

« Shroedinger `s cat» - this is the name of the famous thought experiment of the famous Austrian theoretical physicist Erwin Schrödinger, who is also a laureate Nobel Prize. With the help of this fictitious experiment, the scientist wanted to show the incompleteness of quantum mechanics in the transition from subatomic systems to macroscopic systems.

The original article by Erwin Schrödinger was published in 1935. Here is the quote:

You can also construct cases in which burlesque is enough. Let some cat be locked in a steel chamber, along with the following diabolical machine (which should be independent of the intervention of the cat): inside the Geiger counter is a tiny amount of radioactive material, so small that only one atom can decay in an hour, but with the same the probability may not fall apart; if this happens, the reading tube is discharged and a relay is activated, lowering the hammer, which breaks the cone of hydrocyanic acid.

If we leave this entire system to itself for an hour, then we can say that the cat will be alive after this time, as long as the atom does not decay. The first decay of an atom would have poisoned the cat. The psi-function of the system as a whole will express this by mixing in itself or smearing the live and dead cat (pardon the expression) in equal proportions. Typical in similar cases is that the uncertainty, originally limited to the atomic world, is transformed into a macroscopic uncertainty that can be eliminated by direct observation. This prevents us from naively accepting the "blur model" as reflecting reality. By itself, this does not mean anything unclear or contradictory. There is a difference between a fuzzy or out-of-focus photo and a cloud or fog shot.

In other words:

There is a box and a cat. The box contains a mechanism containing a radioactive atomic nucleus and a container of poisonous gas. The experimental parameters are chosen so that the probability of nuclear decay in 1 hour is 50%. If the core disintegrates, the gas container opens and the cat dies. If the nucleus does not decay, the cat remains alive and well.
We close the cat in a box, wait an hour and ask ourselves: is the cat alive or dead?
Quantum mechanics, as it were, tells us that the atomic nucleus (and hence the cat) is in all possible states at the same time (see quantum superposition). Before we opened the box, the cat-core system is in the state “the core has decayed, the cat is dead” with a probability of 50% and in the state “the nucleus has not decayed, the cat is alive” with a probability of 50%. It turns out that the cat sitting in the box is both alive and dead at the same time.
According to the modern Copenhagen interpretation, the cat is still alive / dead without any intermediate states. And the choice of the decay state of the nucleus occurs not at the moment of opening the box, but even when the nucleus enters the detector. Because the reduction of the wave function of the "cat-detector-nucleus" system is not connected with the human observer of the box, but is connected with the detector-observer of the nucleus.

According to quantum mechanics, if the nucleus of an atom is not observed, then its state is described by a mixture of two states - a decayed nucleus and an undecayed nucleus, therefore, a cat sitting in a box and personifying the nucleus of an atom is both alive and dead at the same time. If the box is opened, then the experimenter can see only one specific state - "the nucleus has decayed, the cat is dead" or "the nucleus has not decayed, the cat is alive."

The essence of human language

Schrödinger's experiment showed that, from the point of view of quantum mechanics, a cat is both alive and dead at the same time, which cannot be. Consequently, quantum mechanics has significant flaws.

The question is as follows: when does a system cease to exist as a mixture of two states and chooses one concrete one? The purpose of the experiment is to show that quantum mechanics is incomplete without some rules that specify under what conditions the wave function collapses, and the cat either becomes dead or remains alive, but ceases to be a mixture of both. Since it is clear that the cat must necessarily be either alive or dead (there is no intermediate state between life and death), this will be the same for the atomic nucleus. It must necessarily be either broken up or not broken up (Wikipedia).

Another most recent interpretation of Schrödinger's thought experiment is the story of Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper, who spoke to Penny's less educated neighbor. The point of Sheldon's story is that the concept of Schrödinger's cat can be applied to relationships between people. In order to understand what is happening between a man and a woman, what kind of relationship between them: good or bad, you just need to open the box. Until then, relationships are both good and bad.

Below is a video clip of this Big Bang Theory dialogue between Sheldon and Peny.

American physicist Art Hobson (Art Hobson) from the University of Arkansas (Arkansas State University) offered his solution to this paradox.

“Measurements in quantum physics are based on the operation of certain macroscopic devices, such as the Geiger counter, which determine the quantum state of microscopic systems — atoms, photons, and electrons. Quantum theory implies that if you connect a microscopic system (particle) to some macroscopic device that distinguishes between two different states of the system, then the device (Geiger counter, for example) will go into a state of quantum entanglement and will also be simultaneously in two superpositions. However, it is impossible to observe this phenomenon directly, which makes it unacceptable,” says the physicist.

Hobson says that in Schrödinger's paradox, the cat plays the role of a macroscopic device, a Geiger counter, connected to a radioactive nucleus to determine the state of decay or "non-decay" of this nucleus. In this case, a live cat will be an indicator of "non-decay", and a dead cat will be an indicator of decay. But according to quantum theory, the cat, like the nucleus, must be in two superpositions of life and death.

“The most interesting thing about the theory of quantum entanglement is that the change in the state of both particles occurs instantly: no light or electromagnetic signal would have time to transfer information from one system to another. So you can say that it is one object divided into two parts by space, no matter how great the distance between them is,” explains Hobson.

Schrödinger's cat is no longer alive and dead at the same time. He is dead if decay happens, and alive if decay never happens.

Schrödinger

And just recently THEORISTS EXPLAIN HOW GRAVITY KILLS CAT SCHROEDINGER, but it's getting harder...

As a rule, physicists explain the phenomenon that superposition is possible in the world of particles, but impossible with cats or other macro objects, interference from environment. When a quantum object passes through a field or interacts with random particles, it immediately assumes only one state - as if it were measured. This is how the superposition collapses, as scientists believed.

But even if in some way it became possible to isolate the macroobject, which is in a state of superposition, from interactions with other particles and fields, then it would still sooner or later take on a single state. At least, this is true for the processes occurring on the surface of the Earth.

“Somewhere in interstellar space, maybe a cat would have a chance to maintain quantum coherence, but on Earth or near any planet this is extremely unlikely. And the reason for this is gravity, ”explains lead author of the new study Igor Pikovski (Igor Pikovski) from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Pikovsky and his colleagues from University of Vienna argue that gravity has a destructive effect on quantum superpositions of macroobjects, and therefore we do not observe such phenomena in the macrocosm. The basic concept of the new hypothesis, by the way, is summarized in feature film"Interstellar".

Einstein's general theory of relativity states that an extremely massive object will warp space-time near it. Considering the situation at a smaller level, we can say that for a molecule placed near the surface of the Earth, time will go somewhat slower than for one that is in the orbit of our planet.

Due to the influence of gravity on space-time, a molecule that falls under this influence will experience a deviation in its position. And this, in turn, should also affect its internal energy - vibrations of particles in a molecule, which change over time. If a molecule is introduced into a state of quantum superposition of two locations, then the relationship between position and internal energy would soon force the molecule to "choose" only one of the two positions in space.

“In most cases, the phenomenon of decoherence is associated with external influences, but in this case the internal vibration of the particles interacts with the movement of the molecule itself,” explains Pikovsky.

This effect has not yet been observed, since other sources of decoherence, such as magnetic fields, thermal radiation and vibrations are generally much stronger, and cause quantum systems to break down long before gravity does. But experimenters seek to test the stated hypothesis.

A similar setup could also be used to test the ability of gravity to destroy quantum systems. To do this, it will be necessary to compare the vertical and horizontal interferometers: in the first, the superposition will soon disappear due to the dilation of time at different "heights" of the path, while in the second, the quantum superposition may persist.

Schrödinger's cat is a famous thought experiment. It was put by the famous Nobel Laureate in the field of physics - the Austrian scientist Erwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrödinger.

The essence of the experiment was as follows. A cat was placed in a closed chamber (box). The box is equipped with a mechanism that contains a radioactive core and poisonous gas. The parameters are chosen so that the probability of a nuclear decay in one hour is exactly fifty percent. If the core disintegrates, the mechanism will come into action and a container with poisonous gas will open. Therefore, Schrödinger's cat will die.

According to the laws, if you do not observe the nucleus, then its states will be described by two basic states - the nucleus of the decayed and not decayed. And here a paradox arises: Schrödinger's cat, which sits in a box, can be both dead and alive at the same time. But if the box is opened, the experimenter will see only one specific state. Either "the nucleus has disintegrated and the cat is dead" or "the nucleus has not disintegrated and Schrödinger's cat is alive".

Logically, we will have one of two outputs: either a live cat or a dead one. But in the potential the animal is in both states at once. Schrodinger thus tried to prove his opinion about the limitations of quantum mechanics.

According to the Copenhagen interpretation and this experiment in particular, a cat in one of its potential phases (dead-alive) acquires these properties only after an outside observer interferes with the process. But as long as this observer is not present (this implies the presence of a specific person who has the virtues of clarity of vision and consciousness), the cat will be in limbo "between life and death."

The famous ancient parable about a cat walking by itself acquires new, interesting shades in the context of this experiment.

According to Everett, which differs markedly from the classical Copenhagen one, the process of observation is not considered anything special. Both states that Schrödinger's cat can be in can exist in this interpretation. But they decohere with each other. This means that the unity of these states will be violated just as a result of interaction with outside world. It is the observer who opens the box and brings discord into the state of the cat.

There is an opinion that the decisive word in this matter should be left to such a creature as Schrödinger's cat. The meaning of this opinion is the acceptance of the fact that in the whole given experiment it is the animal that is the only absolutely competent observer. For example, scientists Max Tegmark, Bruno Marshal and Hans Moraven presented a modification of the above experiment, where the main point of view is the opinion of the cat. In this case, Schrödinger's cat undoubtedly survives, because only the surviving cat can observe the results. But the scientist Nadav Katz published his results, in which he was able to "return" the state of the particle back after changing its state. Thus, the chances of survival of the cat increase markedly.

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