Season 10, Week 7: Quantum Life
Jan. 30th, 2017 10:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rayasoTopic: "Where I'm From"
An Explanation. The physics in this story is obviously more imaginative than actual, but since it's my story, I get to decide on the science. Think of it as "based upon" science, and ignore the massive errors. If you do know the physics involved, you can feel superior, which is not a bad thing if you don't get carried away with it. Teenson says he understands it, but I don't believe him. I did not let him check my science, because the less superior he feels right now, the better. It's a character issue.
To celebrate the 125th birthday of the famous physicist Erwin Schroedinger, Prof. Kransky planned to enact the famous "Schroedinger's Cat" thought experiment, with an important twist.
In 1935, Prof. Schroedinger had wanted to illustrate a paradox when quantum physics was applied to ordinary life. Because the quantum state of a particle depended on whether it was observed or not, Schroedinger had proposed locking a cat in a box with some radioactive material. The cat's life or death depended on whether the material emitted certain particles or not.
To an outside observer, the fate of the cat was unknown because the state of the radioactive material was unknown, and thus, the poor cat remained both alive and dead until the box was opened and the state of the radioactive material was known, which also determined the fate of the cat.
While Schroedinger had the good sense not to do this to a cat, Kransky decided to try it on himself in honor of the great man.
"Good morning, class," Prof. Kransky began on that fateful day. "Today I'm going to illustrate the Schroedinger's Cat paradox by putting myself in this large pine box with a small quantity of radioactive material. You won't know whether I'm alive or dead until the box is opened." Dr. Stephanie Carson, his graduate assistant, could be seen off to one side, holding her head in awe of her boss's brilliance.
Dr. Carson, her cheeks red with excitement, helped Prof. Kransky into the box, then she put in the radioactive isotope and shut the top. After a few minutes, Dr. Carson asked the class to vote on whether Prof. Kransky was alive. The class, applying their understanding of quantum physics, voted unanimously that he was dead.
Dr. Carson opened the box to determine Prof. Kransky's quantum fate.
Quantum State A?
OR
Quantum State B?
An Explanation. The physics in this story is obviously more imaginative than actual, but since it's my story, I get to decide on the science. Think of it as "based upon" science, and ignore the massive errors. If you do know the physics involved, you can feel superior, which is not a bad thing if you don't get carried away with it. Teenson says he understands it, but I don't believe him. I did not let him check my science, because the less superior he feels right now, the better. It's a character issue.
QUANTUM LIFE
Paul Kransky deserved either a Nobel Prize or a dunce cap for the events on August 12, 2012. He was a professor of physics at UCLA and he fancied himself an inspiring teacher. He was famous for his annual lecture on black holes, which he gave while wearing a black leotard. This always generated a flurry of tweets.To celebrate the 125th birthday of the famous physicist Erwin Schroedinger, Prof. Kransky planned to enact the famous "Schroedinger's Cat" thought experiment, with an important twist.
In 1935, Prof. Schroedinger had wanted to illustrate a paradox when quantum physics was applied to ordinary life. Because the quantum state of a particle depended on whether it was observed or not, Schroedinger had proposed locking a cat in a box with some radioactive material. The cat's life or death depended on whether the material emitted certain particles or not.
To an outside observer, the fate of the cat was unknown because the state of the radioactive material was unknown, and thus, the poor cat remained both alive and dead until the box was opened and the state of the radioactive material was known, which also determined the fate of the cat.
While Schroedinger had the good sense not to do this to a cat, Kransky decided to try it on himself in honor of the great man.
"Good morning, class," Prof. Kransky began on that fateful day. "Today I'm going to illustrate the Schroedinger's Cat paradox by putting myself in this large pine box with a small quantity of radioactive material. You won't know whether I'm alive or dead until the box is opened." Dr. Stephanie Carson, his graduate assistant, could be seen off to one side, holding her head in awe of her boss's brilliance.
Dr. Carson, her cheeks red with excitement, helped Prof. Kransky into the box, then she put in the radioactive isotope and shut the top. After a few minutes, Dr. Carson asked the class to vote on whether Prof. Kransky was alive. The class, applying their understanding of quantum physics, voted unanimously that he was dead.
Dr. Carson opened the box to determine Prof. Kransky's quantum fate.
Quantum State A?
OR
Quantum State B?
