Tuesday, November 6, 2007: Scoring serenity

[Introspection]

I think a slight misconception is taking place here. What is being observed in this strip is the effects of what is called the "observer effect", which, putting in simple terms, determines that the outcome of a measurement is often affected by the interaction needed for the measurement itself.

This effect is commonly mistaken as the Uncertainty Principle of quantum mechanics. The Uncertainty Principle is related to the precision of the measurement of a particle's momentum and position. If we increase the precision for measuring the momentum, precision for the position is lost, and vice-versa. The Uncertainty Principle, thus, has no actual relation with the measurement itself, as it comes from an intrinsic property from the particles, not from the interaction inherent from observation.

This is a quite popular misconception, so maybe it has been used in this comic to criticize such misconception. If anyone believes I'm talking gibberish, feel free to hit me with the largest fish you can find. (Yes. It MUST be a fish)

[Trance]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMKCLyhBBwI

00:14

[Foxhound]

Quantum zen: I'll just say Awesome because quantum mechanics make my head want to explode.

[FeynmanKR42]

I love this strip. The first two panels were awesome on their own, but putting quantum mechanics into it made it even more awesome. (check my screenname... <3 Feynman)

[Steve the Pocket]

This is a quite popular misconception, so maybe it has been used in this comic to criticize such misconception.

Or perhaps DCS just didn't know... as you say, popular misconception.

Still, what does it say about physics and quantum mechanics nowadays that enough laymen know about the observation effect to "popularly" confuse it with a principle of quantum mechanics? Clearly, that people are getting smarter. Smart enough to have heard of both things, at least.

[Tom Flapwell]

More educated, yes. Smarter? I dunno.

[datherman]

I personally didn't find the strip all that funny, but my friend in AP Chemistry class cracked up. I understood it as I took the class last year, but it still seemed rather out-of-place. In my mind, it would have been funnier had it stopped after Ozy's first line, but to each his own I guess.