Quantum, in physics, discrete natural unit, or packet, of energy, charge, angular

momentum, or other physical property. Light, for example, appearing in some respects
as a continuous electromagnetic wave, on the submicroscopic level is emitted and
absorbed in discrete amounts, or quanta; and for light of a given wavelength, the
magnitude of all the quanta emitted or absorbed is the same in both energy
and momentum. These particle-like packets of light are called photons, a term also
applicable to quanta of other forms of electromagnetic energy such as X rays
and gamma rays. Submicroscopic mechanical vibrations in the layers of
atoms comprising crystals also give up or take on energy and momentum in quanta
called phonons.

All phenomena in submicroscopic systems (the realm of quantum mechanics) exhibit

quantization: observable quantities are restricted to a natural set of discrete values.
When the values are multiples of a constant least amount, that amount is referred to as a
quantum of the observable. Thus Planck’s constant h is the quantum of action, and ℏ
(i.e., h/2π) is the quantum of angular momentum, or spin.
: any of the very small increments or parcels into which many forms
of energy are subdivided
b
: any of the small subdivisions of a quantized physical magnitude
(such as magnetic moment)

quantum
2 of 2

adjective
1
: LARGE, SIGNIFICANT
a quantum improvement
2
: of, relating to, or employing the principles of quantum mechanics
quantum physics

Synonyms
Noun

amount

measure

quantity

volume
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Examples of quantum in a Sentence