2007-07-30 08:18:28 · 7 answers · asked by Alexander 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
The whole point of the thing is the finality of the result. Either the cat is alive, or the cat is dead, it's a boolean problem (think 0 or 1 only). In order to rearrange the experiment you would have to find two absolutely deterministic states in which one was unchangeable. What works better than death? We can't shave the cat, as hair grows back. I suppose we could injure the cat somehow, but that defeats the purpose of trying not to torture the thing. Maybe we could use a match, and say that if the isotope decays at the same time the detector is open than the match bursts into flames. Hence the state of the match (burnt or unburnt) would have only two definite options, one of which would be impossible to return from. If you're intent on using the cat I don't think you're going to have much luck.
2007-07-30 08:36:20 · answer #1 · answered by Bigsky_52 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You should understand that this was not an experiment designed to be carried out in real life. It is purely a thought problem designed to show that quantum certainty is an impossibility, much in the way that a cat being both alive and dead at the same time is impossible. In the probabilistic world of all things quantum, such situations do exist. A thing can only be described as probabilities of all possible outcomes until the event actually takes place.
2007-07-30 08:59:12 · answer #2 · answered by eggman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take the complex number out of it. Then you merely have a drunk cat. That's the difference between the Schrodinger wave equation and the classical diffusion equation.
2007-07-30 15:23:12 · answer #3 · answered by Scythian1950 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry, the cat stays. One of the provocative features of the experiment is the dilemma of whether or not the cat should be considered an "observer" capable of collapsing its own wave function *before* the box is opened. An inanimate object, or even an animal of lesser awareness would not have the same impact. Besides, I hate cats :-)
2007-07-30 14:52:46 · answer #4 · answered by Dr. R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Put Schrodinger in the box.
2007-07-30 15:35:59 · answer #5 · answered by johnnizanni 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
place a coin in the box. You could make the same argument the heads side is up or down until its observed...
(hamster... my first thought was a mouse)
2007-07-30 08:27:33 · answer #6 · answered by emkay4597 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Use a hamster.
2007-07-30 08:22:17 · answer #7 · answered by Peatear Griffon 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋