superposition

noun

su·​per·​po·​si·​tion ˌsü-pər-pə-ˈzi-shən 

plural superpositions

: the placement of one thing above or on top of another

The principle used to determine whether one sedimentary rock is older than another is very simple, and is known as the law of superposition. Here is an example: A deposit of mud laid down this year in, say, the Gulf of Mexico will rest on top of a layer that was deposited last year.

—Sheldon Judson and Marvin E. Kauffman

especially, physics : the combination of two distinct physical phenomena of the same type (such as spin or wavelength) so that they coexist as part of the same event

Schrödinger perversely suggested that until the box was opened and the outcome of the experiment observed, the particle must remain suspended in a superposition of two states: simultaneously going through both holes.

—George Johnson

In a quantum computer, however, the "transistors" remain in a superposition of 0 and 1 …

—Philip Yam

Examples of superposition in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The act of measuring a quantum state such as superposition typically destroys it. —IEEE Spectrum, 3 Apr. 2024

The second operation, addition, creates a new vector that represents what’s called a superposition of concepts. —Anil Ananthaswamy, Quanta Magazine, 13 Apr. 2023

The path integral is a way of describing a particle's travels in terms of a quantum superposition of all possible routes. —Ahmed Almheiri, Scientific American, 17 Aug. 2022

The superposition of waves – both from the reference and the object – creates an interference pattern, which is called a hologram. —Partha Banerjee, Discover Magazine, 23 Jan. 2024

Qubits can be in a superposition—strange combinations of 0s and 1s. —Kelsey Houston-Edwards, Scientific American, 16 Jan. 2024

Classical computers use bits to represent a one (on state) or zero (off state), while quantum computers use qubits that can represent multiple states through superposition and links with other qubits through entanglement. —Jim McGregor, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023

According to the standard view of quantum mechanics, measuring a particle’s properties is a violent process that instantly snaps the particle out of superposition and collapses it into a single identity. —Zeeya Merali, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2023

Unlike classical bits, qubits can exist in a superposition of states, allowing for simultaneous combinations of zeros and ones. —Craig S. Smith, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined above