What Is Odd About Quantum Theory?
Let us start by considering a ball (a baseball for example) which can be in one of two boxes – box A or box B. Imagine we do not know which box it is in. In this case we are still inclined to believe it is actually in one of the two boxes while nothing is in the other box. The fact that we do not know which one is interpreted as ignorance on our part, having nothing to do with the real world. However, now imagine that rather than a ball, we have a quantum object like an atom. In this case it would be wrong, in general, to suppose that the atom was actually in one box and not the other. In quantum theory the atom can behave like it is, in some sense, in both boxes at once. Of course, if we look into the boxes to find out where the atom is (we could do this by shining bright laser light into the boxes and look for the light scattered by the atom) then we will only find it in one of the two boxes, not both, since there is only one atom. Why, then, say it can behave like it is in both boxe
