The *Copenhagen Interpretation* is a collection of views about [[Quantum Mechanics|quantum physics]] and its philosophical implications. It builds upon works by physicists such as Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg and Max Born. It describes quantum systems probabilistically, meaning that particles do not have definite properties until they are measured. Instead, they exist in a [[Superposition|superposition]] of all possible states, represented by a [[Wave Function|wave function]]. An often invoked concept in the context of the Copenhagen interpretation is **wave function collapse**. It refers to the picture in which a quantum system, which exists in a superposition of multiple possible states, takes on a single definite state when [[Measurement|measured]]. Before observation, a particle's properties are described by a probability wave, but once measured, the wave collapses, and only one outcome remains. This is often illustrated by [[Schrödinger’s Cat]] thought experiment, where a cat in a box is both alive and dead until someone looks inside. The Copenhagen Interpretation remains influential but has also been debated, with alternative interpretations like the [[Multi-World Interpretation|many-world interpretation]] and [[Bohmian Mechanics| Bohmian mechanics]] proposing different views on quantum reality. >[!read]- Further Reading >- [[Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics]] >- [[Bohmian Mechanics]] >- [[Nobody understands Quantum Mechanics]] >[!ref]- References