In the standard analysis of the Schrodinger cat thought expe

In the standard analysis of the Schrodinger cat thought experiment, what leads to the definite survival or definite death of the cat?

Solution

Schrodinger proposed a theoretical experiment in which a cat was put in a steel box along with a vial of hydrocyanic acid along with a tiny amount of radioactive substance.If just one amount of this decayed during the test period,it would trigger a sequence in which hammer would break the vial and kill the cat.As long as the box stayed closed ,you would not know whether this happened or not,so according to quantum law and superposition of states,the cat is both dead or alive at one and the same time.It is only when you take the measurement i.e look in the box ,that the superposition ceases to be and the cat is either dead or alive.The paradox is that the measurement affects the outcome,so the outcome does not exist untill the measurement is made.

Apparently superposition does occur on the sub atomic level ,ie as regards electrons,and this could have implications about reality on the observable level,when dealing with cats rather than electrons.