Schrodinger's Cat: The Misconceptions

       The scenario of Schrodinger's Cat has somehow made it into pop culture and taken on a life of it's own; and taken on a whole new meaning.

       In the 1920's it was tough for physicists; up until then it had been just plain old Newtonian physics. This is how objects react to various forces when under other forces. Then, along comes all this research about subatomic particles and how they don't react predictably at all. A new form of physics had developed by this time: quantum mechanics. 

       Subatomic particles are funny. The more you try to observe them, the less and less natural they behave. Now, Schrodinger's Cat is a scenario relating super position to something more understandable than electrons and such, and it goes like this:

       A cat is placed in a steel bunker with a vile of deadly gas for an hour. The gas is attached to a hammer, a Geiger counter and a little bit of some radioactive material. There is then a 50/50 chance that an atom of the radioactive material may decay, releasing some radiation within that hour. The Geiger counter, if the material decays, will then release the hammer, shattering the vile of poisonous gas, thereby killing the cat.

       This scenario poses the question: is the cat alive or dead? 

       According to quantum mechanics; each one of the radioactive atoms would be in a super position of being both decayed and not decayed at the same time. Because an atom is a quantum object, this is the way they'll act, but because they're not able to be observed the state of that atom will be revealed when the bunker is opened.

       So before the bunker is opened, is the cat in both a state of being dead and alive at the same time? 

       Because a cat is not a quantum object, like a subatomic particle is, or an atom is, the cat has to be in one state of the other. So the cat in not in a state of super position, even if you were not to open the bunker. 

       The problem I have with this scenario of super position is the fact that even though the particle isn't being observed by anyone, it is technically being observed by the cat, making the atom of radioactive stuff force itself into a state of being, or not being. This can be resolved using the theory of quantum physics, or the multiple universe theory. Where, for every action there is another universe formed that uses the opposite reaction. (Sound familiar?)

       So, hopefully, by now you realize that Schrodinger's Cat was not to show that zombie cats exist, but it is to show that super position relates to quantum objects, and that the cat was just something to make the public get the idea of super position. Even though the scenario has a few flaws, it is a great way to understand quantum mechanics. 

       I hope that resolved the misconceptions of what killed the cat.

Quick Post: Black Hole Cannibalism

       If two black holes were to be caught together within distance in which they would collide, the two would not eat each other. Or even repel at all for that matter. The two black holes would collide causing one, larger, denser black hole.

       Many would say that the pictures falsely resemble the  situation, that, if this were to occur, the holes wouldn't be bright, but dark, massive spheres. The fact is quite the contrary; the black holes would be the brightest thing around! Sucking all the photons from the stars around it, the star material would be in a whirlpool around the black hole, creating something so bright, it would outshine all stars around it, until all the evidence was gone. 

        Observing this pictures makes think. What if life was produced in the location of these collisions? What if that was us. 

What if?

The Space-Time Continuum

       In physics, space-time is any mathematical model that combines space and time into a single continuum. Space-time is usually interpreted with space as existing in three dimensions and time playing the role of a fourth dimension that is of a different sort from the spatial dimensions.

Space-time can be present in three ways:

• as a dimension,
• as a fabric,
• or as a woven energy.

       In the theory that space-time is present in the form of a dimension, space-time can be accessed through wormholes. This theory has no evidence, as wormholes are not known to exist. But wormholes are thought to exist in black holes or places beyond our observable universe.

       If space-time were to exist as a fabric, it would surround the universe, allowing us to travel through it, like a bullet through a loaf of bread. With this theory, traveling back in time would be impossible. If time was finite, then space-time would be able to be sliced like a loaf of bread; showing each individual moment on each slice.

       Space-time woven into physical space creates gravity, but otherwise, makes little to no sense. Gravity, in this theory is created by space-time warping around celestial objects. This is why atoms' time tends to slow down when it gets close to a large object or enters an area where gravity is strong.

       All three of these theories for space-time are equally as plausible, for we have no evidence for any of them.

       Or is time all simultaneously occurring?

       I hope one day to find that out.

Astonishing Astrophysics

as·tro·phys·ics

/ˌæstroʊˈfɪzɪks/ Show Spelled [as-troh-fiz-iks]  

noun ( used with a singular verb  )

• the branch of astronomy that deals with the physical properties of celestial bodies and with the interaction between matter and radiation in the interior of celestial bodies and in interstellar space.

       Astrophysics is a very broad subject, covering almost every universal interaction in motion right now. It can cover and introduce theories such as string theory, the fourth dimension, wormholes, and dark energy. Astrophysics can be very complicated, also. Time is one of the subjects I am most interested in and will most likely do a post later on about it. Time seems simple, but no one really understands it. This is the complexity I'm talking about. Explaining things that we are so familiar with, but cannot FULLY understand.

       Theories are ideas formed by speculation: an idea of or belief about something arrived at through speculation or conjecture. They're a fundamental part of astrophysics. String theory, dark matter/energy, and wormholes will be introduced later. Theories are often complicated, and tie in with other theories.

       Astrophysics is a form of physics, a study of relationships between stars, planets, dimensions, and space itself.


       I guess you could say it's a hobby of mine.