setTitle('The Quantised World'); ?>
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Introduction |
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The development
of quantum physics is regarded by many as the finest intellectual
edifice of the 20th century. This position was not reached
in a single step but rather during three main periods: |
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1
Max Planck's work on the 'Black Body' problem
started the quantum revolution in 1900. He showed that energy
cannot take any value but is arranged in discrete lumps – later
called photons by Einstein. |
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2
In 1913, Niels Bohr proposed a model of the atom with quantised
electron orbits. Although a great step forward, quantum
physics was still in its infancy and was not yet a
consistent theory. It was more like a collection of
classical theories with quantum ideas applied. |
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3
Starting in 1925 a true 'quantum mechanics' – a set
of mathematically and conceptual 'tools' – was born.
At first, three different incantations of the same theory
were proposed independently and were then shown to be consistent.
Quantum mechanics reached its final form (essentially unchanged
from today) in 1928.
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