The Stephen Wolfram Podcast The History of Quantum Mechanics
Nov 28, 2024
Dive into the fascinating journey of quantum mechanics, tracing its roots from ancient philosophy to groundbreaking 19th-century discoveries. Explore influential figures like Boltzmann, Planck, and Einstein, and learn how critical experiments unveiled the peculiar behavior of electrons. Discover key concepts like quantized angular momentum and the uncertainty principle, alongside pivotal equations that shaped modern physics. The evolution of field theory and its future implications for quantum computing adds a thrilling edge to this historical narrative.
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Quantum Mechanics History
- Quantum mechanics' big year was 1925, marking its creation.
- The idea of discrete units in the world, like atoms, dates back to antiquity.
Development of Atomic Theory
- Two lines of development converged in the 1800s: chemistry, with integer multiples of materials, and thermodynamics, related to heat's characteristics.
- Ludwig Boltzmann championed the atomic theory of gases in the 1860-70s, influencing figures like James Clerk Maxwell.
Max Planck and Black Body Radiation
- Max Planck, a thermodynamicist, used Boltzmann's calculations of discrete energy packets to explain black body radiation.
- Planck introduced the constant 'h', now known as Planck's constant, representing the quantum of energy.