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Quantum Mechanics 101

Intro to Quantum Mechanics

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44 views3 pages

Quantum Mechanics 101

Intro to Quantum Mechanics

Uploaded by

mbunke2
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Physics Notes: The Discovery of Quantum Mechanics

Date: January 8, 2025


Instructor: Dr. Patel

Page 1: Background and Early Developments


1. What is Quantum Mechanics?
Quantum mechanics is a branch of physics that studies the behavior of matter and energy at
atomic and subatomic scales.
It replaced classical mechanics for describing phenomena that classical theories could not
explain.
2. Key Questions Addressed by Quantum Mechanics:
How does light behave as both a wave and a particle?
Why do atoms emit light in discrete spectra?
How can particles exist in multiple states simultaneously?
3. Precursor Theories:
Newtonian Physics: Worked well for macroscopic objects but failed at microscopic scales.
Maxwell's Equations (1865): Explained electromagnetic waves but couldn't account for
certain light behaviors, like blackbody radiation.
4. Key Milestones in Quantum Mechanics:
Blackbody Radiation (1899):

Classical physics predicted the "ultraviolet catastrophe" (infinite energy at short


wavelengths).
Max Planck (1900): Proposed energy is quantized in discrete packets called "quanta."

Introduced Planck’s constant (h = 6.626 × 10−34 Js).


Formula: E = hν , where ν = frequency of radiation.
Photoelectric Effect (1905):

Albert Einstein: Light behaves as particles (photons).


Energy of photons: E = hν .
Won the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics.
5. Bohr’s Atomic Model (1913):
Niels Bohr explained discrete spectral lines of hydrogen.
Electrons orbit in specific quantized energy levels.
Energy absorbed/emitted as electrons transition between levels.
Model was foundational but limited to simple atoms.

Page 2: Quantum Mechanics in Full Development


1. Wave-Particle Duality:
Louis de Broglie (1924): Proposed that particles like electrons have wave properties.

Wavelength (λ) related to momentum (p): λ = hp . ​

Double-Slit Experiment: Demonstrated wave interference patterns even with single particles.
2. The Schrödinger Equation (1926):
Erwin Schrödinger: Developed a wave equation to describe the quantum state of a particle.

Wavefunction (ψ ): Describes the probability distribution of a particle’s position.


Time-independent equation:
^ ψ = Eψ
H
^ is the Hamiltonian operator).
(H
3. Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle (1927):
Werner Heisenberg: Impossible to simultaneously measure exact position and momentum.
Uncertainty relation:
ℏ
Δx ⋅ Δp ≥
2
​

(ℏ: Reduced Planck’s constant).


4. Quantum Superposition:
A particle can exist in multiple states simultaneously.
Example: Schrödinger’s cat thought experiment.
5. The Copenhagen Interpretation:
Proposed by Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg.
Wavefunction collapses to a definite state upon measurement.
6. Quantum Mechanics Applications:
Atomic Physics: Explains atomic structure and spectra.
Semiconductors: Foundation of modern electronics (transistors, diodes).
Quantum Computing: Exploits superposition and entanglement for computation.
Chemistry: Explains chemical bonding and molecular behavior.
7. Challenges and Ongoing Research:
Integration with general relativity (quantum gravity).
Understanding quantum entanglement ("spooky action at a distance").

Homework:
1. Research the experimental evidence supporting wave-particle duality.
2. Write a summary of how Planck’s constant revolutionized physics.

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