Please explain quantum indeterminacy using some uranium, some poison, a box, and a cat.
Quantum indeterminacy, also known as the principle of superposition and entanglement, is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics that deals with the probabilistic nature of particles and systems at the quantum level. While the famous "Schrödinger's cat" thought experiment does illustrate some aspects of quantum indeterminacy, it is important to note that the experiment was devised as a theoretical paradox and is not a direct representation of real-world quantum phenomena.
In the thought experiment, let's imagine a box containing a live cat, a small amount of radioactive uranium, a vial of poison, and a device that detects the decay of the uranium and releases the poison. The decay of uranium is a random process, and according to quantum mechanics, the state of a radioactive atom is described as a superposition of both decayed and non-decayed states until it is observed.
Initially, before any observation is made, the uranium is in a superposition of both decayed and non-decayed states. According to the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics, the cat's state is entangled with the uranium's state, meaning it is also in a superposition of both alive and dead states.
However, as soon as an observation is made, collapsing the superposition, the cat's state becomes determinate. If the uranium decays and triggers the poison, the cat is considered dead. If the uranium does not decay, the cat remains alive. The act of observation forces the system into one of the two possible outcomes, with a specific probability determined by the initial superposition.
The paradox arises because, according to the thought experiment, until the box is opened and the cat is observed, the cat is simultaneously considered both alive and dead. This seems to defy our classical intuitions, where a cat cannot be in two mutually exclusive states at the same time.
The purpose of Schrödinger's cat was to highlight the strange implications of quantum mechanics when applied to macroscopic objects, as opposed to subatomic particles. It demonstrates the concept of superposition and entanglement, where a system can exist in multiple states simultaneously until observed, at which point it collapses into a definite state.