What is superposition theory?

Answer 1

In linear systems, the superposition principle states that a defined function has similar properties in different settings. As an example, if f(A) produces result X, and f(B) results in Y, then f(A+B) equals X+Y.

Answer 2

The definition of superpostion in relation to a force simply means that many forces can be expressed by a single force. Imagine a book resting on a table. The book has a gravitational force acting on it. It has something called the normal force acting on it, which is just the table pushing up on the book against gravity. Since these are the same, we can add them up. The gravitational force is negative, because it is opposite the normal force(The same will work if we consider the normal force to be negative, it doesn't matter which one we select to be negative). We can add these up to equal zero. That is how superpostion works.

Answer 3

The superposition theory is a theory in quantum mechanics that states that an object (that is microscopic or unaffected by coherence i.e. behaves in a way predicted by quantum mechanics) can be in more than one place at the same time. This arises partially from the uncertainty principle but also how waves behave. A easy way to imagine this is if you have too unopened boxes, one has an object in the other doesn't however you do not know which box has the object so in Quantum Mechanics this would be a superposition state - the object - because it is unmeasured is in both boxes at the same time. Now to describe how this superposition state "collapses" into the object being in only one box you have to describe or show the objects as waveforms - basically graphs describing the probability of finding the object in a certain position. In our box scenario the object will have two wave forms - as it is in a superposition state - one describing it as being in the left box and the other as the right but how these waveforms "collapse" into one is still up for debate the most famous being the Copenhagen Interpretation and the other the Many Worlds theory but that is for further reading.

Hope I helped!