The Quantum Revolution
Quantum physics describes nature at the smallest scales—molecules, atoms, and subatomic particles. This article explores its foundational theories, groundbreaking scientists, and its profound influence on technology and our understanding of reality.
Foundations (1900-1925)
In 1900, Max Planck introduced the idea that energy is quantized, marking the birth of quantum theory. Einstein's 1905 explanation of the photoelectric effect using "quanta" of light cemented the particle nature of light (photons).
Bohr's 1913 atomic model applied quantum theory to explain electron energy levels, while de Broglie proposed matter has wave-like properties in 1924.
"Energy is quantized in multiples of hν: E = nhν"
Quantum Mechanics (1925-1940)
Schrödinger's 1926 wave equation and Heisenberg's 1927 uncertainty principle defined quantum mechanics. Paul Dirac unified quantum theory with relativity in 1928, while Feynman's 1948 path integral formulation offered new insights into particle behavior.
The EPR paradox (1935) and Bell's theorem (1964) explored quantum entanglement, revealing non-local correlations that challenge classical intuition.
iℏ∂ψ/∂t = (-ℏ²/2m)∇²ψ + Vψ
Quantum Field Theory (1940-1970)
Developed by Feynman, Schwinger, and Tomonaga, quantum field theory describes particles as excitations of underlying fields. The Standard Model (1970s) unified electromagnetic, weak, and strong forces using quantum fields.
Key contributions include Feynman diagrams (1949) and the Higgs mechanism (1964), which was confirmed by the 2012 Higgs boson discovery.
Higgs field: ϕ(x) = (0, v + H(x))²
Quantum Computing (1980-2020)
Feynman and Deutsch proposed quantum computing in 1982/85. Shor's algorithm (1994) demonstrated exponential speedup for factoring, while Grover's search algorithm (1996) showed quantum advantage in unsorted databases.
Recent advancements include IBM's 127-qubit quantum processors (2021) and Google's 54-qubit Sycamore chip achieving "quantum supremacy" in 2019.
|ψ⟩ = α|0⟩ + β|1⟩
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Quantum physics continues to evolve with breakthroughs in quantum computing and quantum gravity. Add recent discoveries or update historical references!
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