What does a quantum physicist do?

Answer 1

We research the basic fundamental laws of nature.

We attempt to search for new laws or modifications of the current laws of nature through the discovery of new particles or particle behavior.

This is closely aligned with working towards the unification of theories of nature. For example some of us are trying to unify gravity with the electroweak theory, etc.

Many of us believe that there is a single unified set of equations that can deduce all of physics at certain high enough energies. Which is why we love building particle accelerators. Some of us believe that if accelerate them to a high enough energy perhaps we will be able a situation like the big bang, a situation in which many of us think that there was a few or one super particle that eventually decays into the common particles we detect today.

I hope this helps. Physics is enormously cool because we are the only people trying to use science to understand the most fundamental nature of the universe and everything in it.

The problem with physics is that our laws become so complicated that we have to invent other sciences like biology and chemistry when many many particles are involved.

Answer 2

What Do Quantum Physicists Do

Answer 3

I'm going to assume you were planning to append to that "assuming he gets a job involving his degree."

Quantum physicists will usually end up working in laboratories using gigantic machines called particle accelerators. Some break up protons and neutrons to study the quarks inside. Others work purely on the mathematical side of things, taking input others give them and developing equations and theories to describe how things work in the world of the very, very small.

Regardless, a career as a quantum physicist is not to be taken on lightly; it requires dedication, hard work, and a very refined intellect to do that kind of job.

Answer 4

The quantum physicists in my dept do a lot of math. They attempt to solve systems that describe small particles and their interactions. These are theoretical quantum physicists.

Experimental quantum physicists work with particle colliders, like CERN, Brookhaven, and the LHC.

Answer 5

They try to solve evasive puzzles which requires knowledge of complex mathematics, and predict the unpredictable which also requires a lot of thinking and imagining the unimaginable. They try to fetch the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, maybe there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow...But the only the rainbow itself seems to be holding the pot from them! They try to conqueer a land where water flows uphills, where time and space as we know it becomes obsolete every time we look, where the tiny characters keep switching roles, laughing at the observers!