observer effect

The observer effect refers to the phenomenon where the act of observing or measuring a system can influence its behavior or state. In scientific contexts, especially in physics, measuring a system—such as observing particles—can alter the system's properties. This isn't due to any flaw in measurement tools but is inherent to the nature of certain systems, like quantum particles. Essentially, the very process of watching or measuring can change what is being observed, making it a fundamental consideration in understanding and interpreting scientific experiments and systems.