Schroedinger's Cat

http://dresdencodak.com/cartoons/dc_022.htm

http://xkcd.com/45/

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Schrödinger's cat is a thought experiment that was used to help explain The Uncertainty Principle. This comic is based off of the best (and Easiest) way to demonstrate the Uncertainty Principle, The Double Slit experiment.

The Uncertainty is based off of the result of passing light through a slit, as compared to passing light through two parallel slits.

When light is passed through a single slit, it produces a single point, similar to what one would see when one passed particles through a single slit (or multiple points, depending on the accuracy of the particles).

When light is passed through a double slit, it produces a waveform pattern, similar to what would happen if a wave was passed through a single or a double slit.

So the question remains, (and thus the uncertainty) is light a particle, or a wave?

Which is why Schrödinger came up with a thought experiment.

Suppose you have a cat in a box with a small sample of some radioactive element with a half-life of hours. The moment that element decays, a sensor sets off a device equipped with hydro cyanic Acid. Thus the cat is dead.
But suppose some goon slipped up and instead of putting an element with a half-life of hours, he puts in Uranium, with a half life of millions of years, or forgets to set the sensor to pick up the element. Then the cat is alive. Since we cannot look inside the box, we must surmise the cat is dead AND alive.

Uncertainty Indeed.