So far we have been learning about quantum
mechanics, and how electrons behave vastly
different than large (or macroscopic) objects.
An interesting thought experiment that most
of us have heard of, is known as Schrodinger's
Cat.
This experiment is actually in regards to
quantum theory and to explain something known
as quantum superposition.
To begin this topic let's first talk a little
bit about Erwin Schrodinger.
He was born in Vienna in 1887 and was an Austrian
Physicist.
He won a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1933 for
his work in quantum mechanics.
He developed further on Niels Bohr's theory
of the atom and assumed that electrons could
behave as both a particle and a wave.
In 1926 he formulated a wave equation that
could accurately calculate the energy levels
of electrons in atoms.
He is also known for his theoretical experiment
involving a cat in a steel chamber.
As a small disclaimer no animals were actually
hurt in the following theoretical experiment.
The following experiment tries to explain
an idea that when actually measuring small
particles (such as an electron) this forces
them into two different states at the same
time.
However, this concept was difficult to fathom
for many scientist.
In an attempt to make this concept more relatable
Schrodinger used the following experiment
to explain it.
So I want you to imagine a steel chamber and
in this chamber there is a cat, radioactive
material, poison, a Geiger counter, and a
hammer.
If the Geiger counter detects any radiation
from the radioactive material then the hammer
will smash the posion thus killing the cat.
However, this is a closed chamber so unless
someone opens the chamber it remains unobserved.
So the cat is in a perpetual state of alive
and dead at the same time.
Until someone opens the chamber this forces
the system into one state or the other: the
cat is either dead or alive it cannot be both.
This experiment will help tie us into the
last portion of this chapter.
In 1926, Louis De Broglie suggested that particles
must be transported by a wave and that light
can behave as a wave and a particle.
He stated that " "With every particle of matter
with mass m and velocity a real wave must
be 'associated."
The de Broglie equation related wavelength
to a moving particle and the equation is as
followed: wavelength is equal to Planck's
constant divided by mass times velocity.
It is difficult to fathom that light can behave
as both a wave and a particle.
However, we are going to use Schrodinger's
theoretical experiment and Heisenberg's uncertainty
principle to help describe this.
The following principle was able to solve
the paradox of light acting as both a wave
and a particle because it introduces something
known as complementary properties.
Which states the more you know about one,
the less we know about the other.
So far we have seen that in de Broglie equations
the velocity of an electron is related to
its wave nature but the position of an electron
is related to its particle nature.
Due to the fact that we cannot observe the
particle and a wave simultaneously means that
we cannot measure a particle's position and
velocity.
Heisenberg developed an equation that states
that the uncertainty in the position (denoted
by delta x) and its mass (m) times its uncertainty
in the velocity (denoted by u) must be greater
than or equal to planck's constant divided
by 4 pi.
In 
layman's terms this states the more we know
about the velocity of an electron the less
we know about its position and vice versa.
Which can also be explained by the earlier
concept of schrodinger's cat because when
measuring the wave like properties of light
you cannot also measure the particle light
properties with certainty.
Just like when you observe the cat it is either
alive or dead it cannot be both at the same
time.
Well hopefully today's lesson was entertaining
and also helpful at the same time.
