Schrodinger's
Famous thought experiment's
Schrödinger's functions as an adjective indicating something exists in two contradictory states simultaneously until observed or resolved.
The reference is to physicist Erwin Schrödinger's famous thought experiment involving a cat that is theoretically both alive and dead.
The usage has spread well beyond physics: Schrödinger's text—sent but showing no read receipt, It's Schrödinger's relationship until we have the talk.
The construction humorously marks situations of unresolved uncertainty.
Quantum state's mathematical representation
- superpositionCoexisting in multiple states
- entanglementState of being intertwined
- collapseSudden structural failure
- decoherenceLoss of quantum coherence
coherence · eigenstate · particle · wave · duality · quantization · spin · tunneling
Small furry housepet
neither · superposition · indeterminate · ambiguous · liminal · uncertain · unresolved · simultaneous
Small furry housepet
- boxLidded storage container
- poisonHarmful ingested substance
- vialSmall glass liquid holder
- radioactiveEmitting nuclear decay particles
decay · isotope · Geiger · counter · hammer · observer · measurement · Copenhagen
Not having chosen
- unknownNot yet discovered
- pendingAwaiting resolution or decision
- limboState of uncertain waiting
- unresolvedLacking final determination
wait-and-see · uncertain · ambiguous · contingent · indeterminate · maybe · depends · TBD
wavefunction
Quantum state's mathematical representation
- superpositionCoexisting in multiple states
- entanglementState of being intertwined
- collapseSudden structural failure
decoherence · coherence · eigenstate · particle · wave · duality · quantization · spin · tunneling · photon
cat
Small furry housepet
both · neither · superposition · indeterminate · ambiguous · liminal · uncertain · unresolved · simultaneous · coexisting
cat
Small furry housepet
radioactive · decay · isotope · Geiger · counter · hammer · observer · measurement · Copenhagen · interpretation
undecided
Not having chosen
unresolved · wait-and-see · uncertain · ambiguous · contingent · indeterminate · maybe · depends · TBD · fluid
Schrodinger'sclassical
Of ancient Greece/Rome
Newtonian · deterministic · mechanistic · macroscopic · clockwork
- Schrodinger's catQuantum indeterminacy illustration
- Schrodinger equationQuantum state evolution law
- Schrodinger's equationQuantum state time-evolution formula