Listen&Learn: Schrödinger’s cat

Learn about the famous thought experiment.

Pre-listening vocabulary

• thought experiment: an experiment that someone imagines but does not actually perform
• flaw: a problem or weakness
• definitively: certainly, absolutely
• radioactive: unstable and losing energy through decay
• poison: a substance that causes illness or death
• activate: to cause something to start working
• misinterpret: to gain an incorrect understanding of something

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

“Schrödinger’s cat” is a thought experiment created by Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger. The of the experiment was to show the flaws in a scientific theory suggesting that particles can only definitively if someone is observing them. In Schrödinger’s example, a cat is locked in a box with a radioactive substance and a container of . If the substance decays, it activates the poison and kills the cat. Schrödinger argued that if the decaying of the substance could not happen until someone observed it, then the cat would be both and dead until someone opened the box. Although Schrödinger’s goal was to show how strange this idea was, many people misinterpreted him. This misunderstanding has caused some people to believe that it is for a cat to be both alive and dead. 

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. The purpose of Schrödinger’s thought experiment was
   a. to study radioactive substances
   b. to demonstrate the durability of cats
   c. to show the flaws in a scientific theory
   
2. In the experiment, the poison would be activated by
   a. the movements of the cat
   b. the locking of the box
   c. the decaying of the substance
   
3. According to the theory, the experiment would cause
   a. the cat to die several times until someone opened the box
   b. the cat to stay alive until someone opened the box
   c. the cat to be both alive and dead until someone opened the box

Discussion/essay questions

1. Why do you think it is so easy to be misinformed about science? Do you think there is a solution to this?
2. Do you think it is important for the general population to be educated about scientific topics? Why or why not?

Transcript

“Schrödinger’s cat” is a thought experiment created by Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger. The purpose of the experiment was to show the flaws in a scientific theory suggesting that particles can only definitively change if someone is observing them. In Schrödinger’s example, a cat is locked in a box with a radioactive substance and a container of poison. If the substance decays, it activates the poison and kills the cat. Schrödinger argued that if the decaying of the substance could not happen until someone observed it, then the cat would be both alive and dead until someone opened the box. Although Schrödinger’s goal was to show how strange this idea was, many people misinterpreted him. This misunderstanding has caused some people to believe that it is possible for a cat to be both alive and dead. 

Answers to comprehension questions

1c 2c 3c