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superposition

superposition

6 8.6
A case where different waves or forces act together and produce one result
  • noun
  • /ˌsuːpərpəˈzɪʃən/
  • Specialized
: superposición
  • They can be in a superposition of up and down states.
  • quantum superposition
  • a superposition state
  • linear superposition

They can be in a superposition of up and down states.

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Examples

  • The principle of superposition allows for the combination of different wave functions in physics.

  • The idea behind quantum information processing is to use quantum superposition states to transmit, store, and process information.

    Academic text (2012)
  • The computer can do this for all N states in the superposition in a single step.

    Academic text (1997)
  • We know this is a superposition of two progressive waves.

  • So the cat goes into a superposition of being awake and being asleep.

  • No, they are all a quantum superposition until a measurement is made.

  • At its core is a plasma of electrons in quantum superposition.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Logical operations and parallelism could be achieved using a superposition of quantum states.

    Academic text (2000)
  • The system exists as a superposition of an atomic excitation and a photon.

    Academic text (2004)
  • A single photon could be created in a superposition of two colors—for example, red and green.

    Academic text (2012)

Synonyms

superimposition
vssuperposition
3 7.4

One image or object put over another so both are seen

combines multiple states or effects at once in theoretical or mathematical contexts

Compounds

1 7.7

The lowest layer in a series of rock layers is the oldest

1 8.1

A law that when waves overlap their effects add up at each point

1 7.7

A rule that in rock layers left in place the bottom layer is oldest

Movement at any point is the sum of the movements caused by each wave

How Combined

entanglement
8 6.3
superposition
  • Specialized
6 8.6
coexistence
14 4.2
separation
220 2.6

Surface Forms

superposition singular

Morphology

superposition = position (semi-transparent) = super + position

The physics/mathematics sense abstracts 'overlapping/placing' into 'combination of states'; the morphological parts are related but the specific technical meaning is less directly inferable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Superposition comes from super- ('above') and position ('place'), so it literally means 'placed above'. In physics and math this image helps: different states are like layers 'stacked' or 'placed together', so they act at the same time.