what is quantum physics?

Answer 1

It is a theory of physics that says things can only occur at discreet levels, or quanta, and not in a continuum. For example, an electron can only orbit the atom at certain speeds, and it jumps from one orbit to another without ever passing between them. It would be like going from Earth to Mars without ever passing through the space between the orbits. But that is a highly simplified and stylized explanation. The actual theory is much more complicated and totally different than actual orbits. The theory explains things like spectral lines, where electrons emit only certain colors of light related to the allowed orbits they are in.

Answer 2

Does the thought of quantum physics send a chill down your spine, just like the words calculus, differential equations, and -gasp- organic chemistry? You may not even think that quantum physics is a serious science, like the more familiar Newtonian physics. Just relax! I'm sure you're comfortable with regular physics, which describes the way that matter interacts with other matter, i.e. gravity, velocity, etc. If not, maybe you should check out my regular Interactive Physics site. Anyway, quantum physics is just the physics of the incredibly small. While Newtonian physics can suitably describe the orbit of the planets or the energy transformations during a game of pool, quantum physics describes how electrons surround the nucleus of the atom and other subatomic actions. At this point, you may be thinking that there's not that big of a difference between these two sciences. Hey, both explain how matter interacts with other matter, so what's the big deal? The difference is that the common laws of physics begin to deteriorate on small scales. For example, Nippendenso (Japan Electric) built a car that's only half a millimeters long. One could easily mistake it for a grain of rice if not for its gold color. At the scale of 1 to 1000, physics is already changing. Oil would now gum up the engine, and the tires wouldn't have enough traction to move the car.




Quantum physics tries to explain the behavior of even smaller particles. These particles are things like electrons, protons, and neutrons. Quantum physics even describes the particles which make these particles! That's right; the model of an atom that you were taught in high-school is wrong. The electrons don't orbit like planets; they form blurred clouds of probabilities around the nucleus. Protons and neutrons? They're each made of three quarks, each with its own 'flavor' and one of three 'colors'. Lets not forget the gluons, the even smaller particles that hold this mess together when they collect and form glueballs (not a very original name). Why weren't you told about this already? Were you fluent in calculus when you took general chemistry? The quantum model of the atom is much more complex than the traditional model, so most teachers save that stuff for college. (But this doesn't mean that you can't have a basic understanding and impress your friends!) The reason that quantum physics needs complex math to explain the behaviors and properties of small particles is that the world of these subatomic particles is a very bizarre one, filled with quantum probabilities and organized chaos. For example, the exact position and velocity of an electron is very hard to find because attempts to "see" it involve bouncing other particles off of it. By doing this, you've just changed the electron's velocity, so your data is useless. What quantum physics does is give us the statistical probability of the electron's location at any one moment. By learning how these particles act, scientists can better understand the matter which makes up the universe, and the way it behaves (or misbehaves). Quantum physics even plays a part in blackholes, where regular physics is thrown out the window and then some!

Answer 3

Quantum physics is the study of the behavior of matter and energy at the molecular, atomic, nuclear, and even smaller microscopic levels. In the early 20th century, it was discovered that the laws that govern macroscopic objects do not function the same in such small realms.

Quantum refers to the discrete units of matter and energy that are predicted by and observed in quantum physics. Even space and time, which appear to be extremely continuous, have smallest possible values.

Answer 4

Quantum physics attempts to explain something that can't be seen, can't be measured and can't (according to Heisenberg) even be predicted in a location from moment to moment and (according to Planck) something that will change simply because you are attempting to observe or measure it.

If Planck and Heisenberg are correct, it's a system that attempts to use, predict and define random, unmeasurable behavior at the smallest level of size.

That makes it sort of like card counting in black jack or handicapping horse races.

Answer 5

quantum physics is just the physics of the incredibly small