Part 2/10:
At its core, quantum mechanics is built around the notion of the wave function, a mathematical description of a particle that encapsulates all its potential properties. These properties are not definitive until a measurement is made, at which point the wave function "collapses," selecting one specific state from the myriad possibilities it represents. A classic illustration of this concept is the thought experiment known as Schrödinger's cat, which presents a scenario wherein a cat is simultaneously alive and dead until the box is opened, demonstrating the superposition of states that quantum particles can occupy.