I don’t understand..
When we observe it, we can define it’s state right? But it was never in both states. It was only in one, we just didn’t know which one it is. It’s not like if I go back in time and open the box at a different time, that the outcome will be different. It is one of the 2 outcomes, we just don’t know which one until we look. And when we look we discover which one it was, it was never the 2 at the same time. This is what’s been bugging me. Can anyone help explain it? Or am I thinking about it wrong?
In: Physics
You need to think about it quantum mechanically. Superposition exists. We know this because of experiments like the double-slit experiment. We have also been able to out whole atoms into superposition.
Put the cat in the box with the poison and the radioactive isotope and detector. Seal the box off from the rest of the universe (which is practically impossible). The box and everything in it is in superposition. It’s not a superposition of alive and dead. It’s a superposition of all possible quantum states.
When you open the box, the superposition collapses to one of those states, the most likely being a cat that is alive or dead.
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