Basics of Quantum Mechanics for Dummies

Next time when a Physics Professor says that the probability of your position at any given time, in the whole universe, is never zero, don't think he has lost his marbles. This is where we can start with the basics of Quantum Mechanics for dummies.

According to Niels Bohr, the father of the orthodox 'Copenhagen Interpretation' of quantum physics, "Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood it". As seen by a layman, quantum mechanics appears to be more like a bizarre phenomenon or science fantasy flick, full of jargons and complicated mathematical equations. However, it is easier to take a look at the basics of quantum mechanics for dummies, provided one isn't baffled by the fact that every electron is a particle, as well as a wave at the same time. Introduction to Quantum Mechanics Quantum mechanics is the branch of physics which deals with the study of particles to the extent of atomic and sub-atomic level. The term 'Quantum Mechanics' was given by Max Born in 1924. With the discovery of electron, by J.J. Thomson, in the year 1932, the whole idea of classical physics was shown to be inapplicable at the atomic level. Classical physics which was governed by the Newton's laws of motion and Maxwell's laws of electromagnetism, was used to define and predict the motion of particles. But this theory was not able to explain the following three critical and world famous experiments: 1. Black Body Radiations: According to the classical theory, a black body would emit infinite amount of energy, which was not true. Max Plank developed an equation and came up with Plank's constant (h) for energy radiated in black body emission. 2. The Photoelectric Effect: The phenomena of photoelectric effect occurs when electrons are released from certain metals, by the action of light. The electromagnetic theory of light predicts different results than what is recorded experimentally. Using the Plank's constant 'h', Einstein worked out a formula for the energy of electrons emitted in the photoelectric effect in the year 1905. 3. Optical Line Spectra: Neils Bohr conducted an experiment to study the optical line spectra and gave the famous Bohr's model of atom. All the formulations by these three scientists laid ground for the Old Quantum Theory. It was further amended by scientists like W. Heisenberg and E. Schrodinger to form the New Quantum Theory. Basics of Quantum Mechanics

Schrodinger's 'cat in the box' experiment: This is a hypothetical experiment in which we put a cat inside a box with some equipment which releases poisonous gas on detection of electrons. In this case, after an hour, one would say that he doesn't know whether the cat is dead or alive, and this can be known only by looking inside the box. But according to quantum theory, it is better to say the cat is half dead or half alive, until we check on it. Confused! Actually it is based on the basic assumption of probability and not the fact. Fact comes in picture when we actually see inside the box, till then it's all about probability. Energy is quantized i.e. it is in form of 'quanta' or small packets. Sounds illogical, but this is the very basic principle followed by scientists working in the field of quantum mechanics. Moving objects don't have a well-defined position. We can just graphically represent the probability of the existence of that object with respect to time. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle: It states that, the more precisely the energy of an object is known, lesser is certainty in calculation of its position in time, and vice versa. This is also applicable for the position and momentum of an object. Quantum mechanics allows one to think of interactions between correlated objects, at a pace faster than the speed of light. It also lays down the foundation of the advanced Theory of Relativity. The empirical properties of light cannot be explained if it is considered to be a wave or particle. It can be explained only when light is considered to be both.

At the initial stage, one might find his brain circuits getting fused, while reading about the basics of quantum mechanics. But as he goes deeper into the intricacies and complexities of equations, and sees the application in real life, he is bound to be fascinated. The world is not just what is seen by naked eyes, but something which is far beyond our comprehension. Quantum mechanics has revolutionized the study of physics, and opened the gateway to see new horizons.

How the Princess began to Feel the Pea. Science is exciting because it is always in trouble. No matter how excellent a theory is, it always misses some point or other. Even our most precious ideas about the universe are not able to explain everything; there's always a blind spot. And when the hopeful folks zoom in on that blind spot it pretty much always turns out to be a lot larger than anybody thought, and all of us a mere bunch of naive beginners. At the end of the eighteenth century the blind spot of regular mechanics (=the library of dogmas that teach the ins and outs of objects moving and colliding) covered the behavior of very small objects, such as electrons, and the behavior that light caused when it hit small things like electrons. Light had been a mystery for centuries. Some experiments proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that light was waves. Some other experiments proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that light was particles. The truth about light was obviously hidden and it wasn't until 1900 that people began to understand that there was something very weird about the world of the small. Something that required a complete revision of understanding. It was decided that the world of the very small was governed by rules that were different from the rules that governed the world we can see, and regular (or classical) mechanics begat QuantumMechanics. And that unanticipated breach in mechanics spawned this very important rule:

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Individual quantum particles are subjected to a completely different law than the law to which large objects made from quantum particles are subjected. The introduction of the quantum The Quantum Mechanical era commenced in 1900 when Max Planck postulated that everything is made up of little bits he called quanta (one quantum; two quanta). Matter had its quanta but also the forces that kept material objects together. Forces could only come in little steps at the time; there was no more such a thing as infinitely small. Albert Einstein took matters further when he successfully described how light interacts with electrons but it wasn't until the 1920's that things began to fall together and some fundamental rules about the world of the small where wrought almost by pure thought. The men who mined these rules were the arch beginners of Quantum Mechanics, the Breakfast Club of the modern era. Names like Pauli, Heisenberg, Schrdinger, Born, Rutherford and Bohr still put butterflies in the bellies of those of us who know what incredible work these boys - as most of them where in their twenties; they were rebels, most of them not even taken serious - achieved. They were Europeans, struck by the depression, huddled together on tiny attics peeking into a strange new world as once the twelve spies checked out the Promised Land. Let all due kudoes abound. Believing the unbelievable One of the toughest obstacles the early Quantum Mechanics explorers had to overcome was their own beliefs in determinism. Because the world of the small is so different, people had to virtually reformat the system of logic that had brought them thus far. In order to understand nature they had to let go of their intuition and embrace a completely new way of thinking. The things they discovered where fundamental rules that just were and couldn't really be explained in terms of the large scale world. Just like water is wet and fire is hot, quantum particles display behavior that are inherent to them alone and can't be compared with any material object we can observe with the naked eye. One of those fundamental rules is that everything is made up from little bits. Material objects are made up of particles, but also the forces that keep those objects together. Light, for instance, is besides that bright stuff which makes things visible, also a force (the so-called electromagnetic force) that keeps electrons tied to the nuclei of atoms, and atoms tied together to make molecules and finally objects. In Scriptures Jesus is often referred to as light, and most exegetes focus on the metaphorical value of these 2 statements. But as we realize that all forms of matter are in fact 'solidified' light (energy, as in E=mc ) and the electromagnetic force holds all atoms together, the literal value of Paul's statement "and He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Col 1:17)" becomes quite compelling. Particles are either so-called real particles, also known as fermions, or they are force particles, also known as bosons. Quarks, which are fermions, are bound together by gluons, which are bosons. Quarks and gluons form nulceons, and nucleons bound together by gluons form the nuclei of atoms. The electron, which is a fermion, is bound to the nucleus by photons, which are bosons. The whole shebang together forms atoms. Atoms form molecules. Molecules form objects.

Everything that we can see, from the most distant stars to the girl next door, or this computer you are staring at and yourself as well are made up from a mere 3 fermions and 9 bosons. The 3 fermions are Up-quark, Down-quark and the electron. The 9 bosons are 8 gluons and 1 photon. Like so: Quanta Atoms Molecules Objects

But the 3 fermions that make up our entire universe are not all there is. These 3 are the survivors of a large family of elementary particles and this family is now known as the Standard Model. What happened to the rest? Will they ever be revived? We will learn more about the Standard Model a little further up. First we will take a look at what quantum particles are and in which weird world they live. (If you plan to research these matters more we have written out the most common quantum phrases in a table for your convenience. Have a quick look at it so that you know where to find it in case you decide you need it).