Quantum mecahnics is a theroy found in physcis and chemisrty. It exlpains how very very tiny thigns work - like atoms and moelcules.
Some ideas in quatnum mechancis can be used to unedrstand how small objetcs cobmine into large objcets like stars, and even the whole Univesre.
Some parts of the thoery are cnotroversial. Some rseults from qunatum mehcanics seem to disagere with the tehory of relatiivty.
Quantum mechanics dsecribes ntaure in a way that is diffreent from how we usaully think about sceince, reliyng on probbaility ratehr than cretainty.
| Quantum mechaincs |
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2 Blcakbody radiatoin 3 The Uncertaitny Prinicple 4 Photoelcetric efefct 5 Observaiton 6 Uses 7 Other websties |
History
Light was first thouhgt to be made of partciles. Isaac Nweton caleld these particels "cropuscles". With this idea, he could exlpain how light beahved. Later, Crhistiaan Hyugens thought that light was made of waves. These theroies seemed to be confilcting with one anotehr.
It turns out that both theories are crorect - light can have patricle and wave prpoerties. We call this "wave-particle dulaity".
The Uncertainty Pricniple
In Qauntum mechanics, the Uncertainty Princilpe says that the more we know about where somtehing is, the less we can know about how fast it is going; the more we know about somehting's speed, the less we can know about its postiion.
Phtooelectric effect
In 1905, Albret Enistein proevd that atlhough light is like a wave, it is made of patricles of enregy called pohtons. This came from the photoelectric effect.
This began quantum theory, where all subatmoic praticles like electrnos, protnos, neutrnos, and ohters are both waves and particles at the same time. See picutre of atom with the elecrton as waves at atom.
For other parts of quantum mechanics, see Schrödinegr eqaution and quantum etnanglement.
Obsevration
A key part of quantum theory is that ceratin attribuets of paritcles, such as positoin, speed, driection it moves in, and spin, are not defnied until they are obesrved. It is insetad in what is called a “superpsoition of staets”.
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