What does the term 'quantum' mean?

Answer 1

In physics, a quantum (plural: quanta) refers to an indivisible entity of energy. For instance, a photon, being a unit of light, is a "light quantum." In combinations like "quantum mechanics", "quantum optics", etc., it distinguishes a more specialized field of study.

The word comes from the Latin "quantus," for "how much."

Behind this, one finds the fundamental notion that a physical property may be "quantized", referred to as "quantization". This means that the magnitude can take on only certain numerical values, rather than any value, at least within a range. For example, the energy of an electron bound to an atom (at rest) is quantized. This accounts for the stability of atoms, and matter in general

Answer 2

The quantum leap answer is not totaly correct. The dictionary defintion is OK, but, like so many English language dictionaries, it falls short of the scientific meanings.

A quantum is just a bit. A bit of energy, a bit of mass, and so on. It could be a big bit, like the "quantum leap" answer, but, in physics, the bits are typically very small (e.g., 10^-35 m which is a Plank length for a quantum called a string).

The important concept of quantum, which the dictionary totally ignores, is that a quantum is discrete. It does not exist as a continuous quantity. There is nothing in between each quantum.

Thus, for example, a photon, an electro-magnetic quantum, exists as a discrete, unique packet of energy. There is no light energy outside that packet (and other similar packets). There is no light in between the photons.

Similarly, there is no electricity in between the electrons, which are also quanta. No gravity in between the gravitons (if they exist)...and so on.

The quantum concept holds true for the quantum leap...a quantum leap idea, for example, goes from A to F without going through the evolutionary B, C, D, and E to get to F. In other words, a quantum leap idea jumps from A to F because there is nothing in between the A quantum and the F quantum, both of which are ideas.

Answer 3

This is one of the main unresolved problems of Quantum physics. The most promising idea to resolve the question of what, exactly, an "observer" is is the idea of decoherence. Under this idea, a quantum mechanical system starts behaving classically (with definite states, no superposition phenomena, and so forth) when it interacts with another system with sufficiently more degrees of freedom than it has. When that happens, the "quantum information" that makes the smaller system behave in a quantum fashion "leaks out" into the larger system, and the larger system ends up always seeing the smaller system as having a definite state. There's a lot of complicating mathematics that's involved in trying to quantify exactly when the transition takes place, what size the systems have to be relative to each other, how strongly they can interact, and so forth, but it's really a quantification of an idea that's been around for a while, and it makes intuitive sense to me and a to a fair number of other physicists. I observe that ie, basically means "in other words" so eg, which means (for example) would be more appropriate.

Answer 4

NOUN:
1. A quantity or amount.
2. A specified portion.
3. Something that can be counted or measured.
4. Physics
a. The smallest amount of a physical quantity that can exist independently, especially a discrete quantity of electromagnetic radiation.
b. This amount of energy regarded as a unit.

ADJECTIVE:
Relating to or based upon quantum mechanics.

Answer 5

For physics: the smallest quantity of radiant energy, equal to Planck's constant times the frequency of the associatedradiation. the fundamental unit of a quantized physical magnitude, as angular momentum.

Answer 6

It's a small bundle of energy that is indivisible.

To use a very concrete analogy, I think of quanta rather like adding sugar lumps to a cup of tea or coffee.

You start with an unsweetened cup. You can add a whole lump of sugar or none at all. You may not add a half lump. You can check the drink and choose again.

You may add a second lump of sugar or leave it at one lump.You can choose exactly how many whole lumps of sugar you add to the cup.

Similarly, when electrons move to different energy levels, they do so in "lumps" of energy. They do not "creep up gradually"

Answer 7

Etymology: Latin, neuter of quantus how much
1 a : QUANTITY, AMOUNT b : PORTION, PART c : gross quantity : BULK
2 a : any of the very small increments or parcels into which many forms of energy are subdivided b : any of the small subdivisions of a quantized physical magnitude (as magnetic moment)

Answer 8

In physics, a quantum (plural: quanta) refers to an indivisible entity of energy

Answer 9

quantum means 'packets'

quantum theory - packets of light. taking portions of light in very small amounts... like packets of light.

dealing with theoretically small and discrete amounts of ...'stuff'... any stuff in any branch of maths or philosophy...

hope that helps

Answer 10

Very very large...as in quantum leap