Erwin Schrödinger

The Schrödinger cat experiment, a thought test that involved a cat, a poison flask, and a radioactive source all in a sealed box. In this test, the cat could be perceived to be either dead or alive, but according to Copenhagen's quantum mechanics, the cat would be simultaneously dead and alive. This was just one of Schrödinger 's many accomplishments in his scientific career. Credited with the discovery of the wave mechanics theory at the age of thirty-nine and description of the quantum behavior of electrons, Schrödinger was also the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in physics during 1933, sharing it with Paul Dirac. His extensive career history led him to teach at prestigious educational institutions such as the University of Berlin, University of Zurich, and many more areas of research and learning. The work that Schrödinger did in his life inspires and helps to push scientists work harder because he showed that if you work hard, you can achieve what you want and prove your thoughts all at a fairly advanced age, which is remarkable because as you age, it is common that someone's mind would deteriorate rather than become brighter. Erwin Schrödinger , a tireless contributor and champion of physics is a hero worth recognizing. Not only was he committed to his field of research, but also his well acknowledged intellectual skills and compassion make him a hero of great significance.

Schrödinger 's constant efforts and contributions that he made to the field of science let light shine on his most predominant trait, commitment. During the first few months in the front lines of World War I, Schrödinger : "... was able to complete some scientific work. The advantage of being a theoretician was that he could make calculations even in a dugout, although he missed the possibility of consulting the scientific journals." (Moore, Walter). Even though war was brutal on him, abandoning his work post was unthinkable to him. Schrödinger carried out his work without the safety of other's intellect to back him up, but he didn't let that hinder his research. During his years of working, Schrödinger had little leisure time to enjoy and have fun. His devotion to science was very extensive, for even at an age when you would be considered old in the science field, Schrödinger continued his research. All the time preceding his discovery of the wave mechanics: "...Schrödinger continued his research and published many papers on a variety of topics, including the problem of unifying gravitation and electromagnetism, which also absorbed Einstein and which is still unsolved; (he was also the author of the well-known little book "What is Life?", 1944). He remained greatly interested in the foundations of atomic physics." (Nobel Prize). Even though he has contributed the ground breaking wave mechanics theory, Schrödinger continues his works and allows his interest for physics guide him and help him continue in his path. The hard work he put in during his life ultimately carved out major pathways for future scientists to discover and prove other topics. The improvements that Schrödinger made for the possibility of science to continue expanding shows the responsibility that he took when working in this field.

Schrödinger used his knowledge to pursue the joy in his life and make great achievements in his lifetime. The intellect of Schrödinger is visibly shown in his discovery of wave mechanics which: "In less than two months he discovered his equation and began applying his elegant and beautiful theory to enough physical situations to carry complete conviction of its correctness. The capstone of his achievements was his proof of the logical equivalence of wave mechanics and "matrix mechanics," the latter discovered almost simultaneously by Werner Heisenberg in 1926." (Biography in Context). Schrödinger not only made a notable advance in physics, but he exhibited the incredible grasp that he had for learning. With the advance that he made, it's also remarkable how he was able to derive his theory in such a short time, as something of that scale would be expected to take an elongated amount of time to formulate. In addition to the discovery of the wave mechanics, Schrödinger has used his wits to help deduce the flaws in other's research. In criticizing the quantum theory in 1935, Schrödinger came up with the Schrödinger cat model in which: "there is a fifty-fifty chance that the cat will be killed. Without examining the contents of the box, it is safe to assert that the cat is either dead or alive. In the world of quantum physics, neither of these two possibilities has any reality unless it is first observed. The atomic decay has neither occurred nor not occurred. Since the fate of the feline is tied to the state of the radioactive material, one cannot say that the cat is dead or alive until the inside of the box is examined. This implication, Schrödinger declared, reveals the absurdity of quantum mechanics. It is one thing to conceive of an elementary particle such as an electron being neither here nor there but quite another to conceive of a concrete thing such as a cat in this indeterminate state." (Baigrie, Brian). Schrödinger used his creativity and vast mind to develop such an outlandish experiment to say the least. In developing such an peculiar experiment, Schrödinger also in turn proved his reasoning to oust the ludicrous quantum mechanics with concrete facts and details to justify his thoughts. Schrödinger 's use of his wisdom didn't just benefit his dreams, but it also the triumphs that he had in his lifetime.

Schrödinger 's perception was not the only thing that he excelled in. but his pure heart was another attribute he retained. With the rise of the Nazi regime in the World War II era, Schrödinger was strongly against their ideals and took a stand against what they did. ""Like many other scientists Schrodinger had to leave Germany after the Nazis seized power. The Nazis had no problems with Schrodinger but it was Schrodinger who did not like policies pursued by the Nazis." (Nobel Prize). Although the Nazis did not have any negativity towards him, Schrödinger risked his own safety and presented his antipathy for the Nazis and their ethics because he knew what they did was wrong and they shouldn't do it. Schrödinger 's defiance of the Nazi regime also shows he isn't afraid to face injustice even though the Nazis had more authority and power than he did. The heart of Schrödinger didn't just shine in the midst of topics related to science, but also in subjects such as philosophy. "Schrödinger was always deeply concerned with philosophical questions--not only those that pertain to scientific issues but also those that pertain to essentially humanistic issues. The fundamental reason for his concern with these issues was his full recognition of the limitations of science. He was convinced, for example, that Heisenberg's uncertainty principle has nothing whatsoever to do with the age-old question of human free will. He believed that to illuminate questions such as these--to obtain a complete world picture--one requires the union of all knowledge, the insights achieved in all disciplines." (Biography in Context). Schrödinger 's deep interest in philosophy showed his concern in topics based around humans and their rights. He believed in a unified world with shared knowledge and great discipline. Schrödinger 's kindness and ability to help stand up for those who couldn't show the great heart that lies suppressed in the genius of Schrödinger .

Works Cited

Baigrie, Brian S., and Baigrie Brian S. "Erwin Schrödinger ." Great Lives From History: The Twentieth Century 

(2008): 1.Biography Reference Center. Web. 4 Apr. 2014.

"Erwin Schrödinger ." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Biography in Context. Web. 4 Apr. 2014.

"Erwin Schrödinger - Facts". Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2013. Web. 4 Apr 2014.