Quantum Physics: 10 Mind-Boggling Facts To Know
Quantum mechanics is an awe-inspiring topic, which can make you feel overwhelmed by its strange findings and thought-provoking concepts. It is a scientific field that concentrates on the study of the peculiar world of atoms, particles, and waves, making it essentially the science of the very small.
Although quantum physics has provided us with valuable insights into many fundamental scientific questions, such as the behaviour of objects in the quantum realm, we still have a lot to learn about this subject.
Nevertheless, its captivating nature remains unchanged, and there are numerous fascinating facts about quantum physics that are worth exploring. Here are ten such facts that may astound you.
1. The dual nature of Matter
Matter has a dual nature, existing both as particles and waves. J.J. Thomson won the Nobel Prize in 1906 for demonstrating that electrons are particles, while his son George won the same prize in 1937 for showing that electrons also exhibit wave-like behaviour.
This phenomenon is now known as wave-particle duality and is a fundamental concept in quantum physics. The nature of light can also be understood in two ways – as an electromagnetic wave or as a stream of photons.
Telescopes, acting like giant light collectors, can not only gather photons from distant stars but also focus light waves and exert pressure on objects. This phenomenon is being utilised to launch spacecraft with solar sails and even to deflect asteroids from colliding with Earth, according to Rusty Schweickart, the chairman of the B612 Foundation.
2. Energy comes in multiples of Quanta
An analogy can be drawn between the quantum world and a shoe store. The connection between shoes and the subatomic world is analogous to that between energy and the quantum realm.
Shoes are not made in sizes that precisely match the measurements of one’s feet, so one has to select from pairs that are available in predetermined sizes. Similarly, energy exists only in multiples of the same “quanta,” which is why the field of study dealing with the behaviour of energy and matter at a subatomic level is called quantum physics.
3. The possibility of something to exist simultaneously in 2-Dimensions
One of the most famous concepts in quantum physics proposes that objects have the ability to be present in two locations at the same time. This idea is referred to as superposition and was first uncovered by physicist Erwin Schrödinger in 1927.
The theory suggests that an object’s existence is dispersed across both space and time. For instance, if you were to observe the location of an electron on one side of a barrier, it may actually exist in two different positions simultaneously. This notion of an object being in multiple states concurrently appears to be something that could only exist in a work of science fiction.
Nevertheless, it is the fundamental concept behind Schrodinger’s cat thought experiment, in which a quantum device determines the fate of the cat and demonstrates the counterintuitive nature of quantum mechanics, with the cat existing in two possible states, alive and dead.
4. Quantum Physics defines the properties of Stars
Niels Bohr, a physicist from Denmark, discovered that electrons within atoms are arranged in clusters comparable to grapes on a vine, referred to as energy levels. When an electron descends from a higher energy level to a lower one, it emits energy in the form of light.
Likewise, if additional electrons are added to an atom at high energy levels, they will absorb light of those frequencies. Astronomers leverage this phenomenon to determine the composition of distant stars.
By analysing the spectrum of light from stars, which is split into a rainbow-like range of colours, specific hues that are absent indicate the presence of particular chemical elements. This approach allows researchers to determine the constituents of stars, including the elements they contain, indicators of their age, and other characteristics.
5. Compelling evidence suggesting existence of a possible multiverse
Quantum physics implies that parallel universes may exist where all potential outcomes have already occurred, and these parallel universes continue to exist. Quantum physics also proposes that it may be possible to travel between these parallel universes by manipulating the fabric of space-time.
According to the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum physics, observing something forces reality to make a quantum choice and collapse the wave function. On the other hand, the many worlds interpretation suggests that at the moment of measurement, reality splits into two versions, and both outcomes occur in different versions of the universe.
6. It is the basis behind why the sun shines
As you gaze up at the sun, you are viewing the light generated from nuclear fusion that occurred in its core. Nuclear fusion is the process by which two protons combine to form a more substantial particle.
This larger particle can range from helium to more massive elements such as carbon, oxygen, and iron. The process of fluorescence, in which identical charges repel one another, creating a reaction that emits light, occurs due to the Coulomb barrier and contributes to the sun’s radiance.
7. Stars doesn’t stop existing entirely
At some point in the future, the sun will reach the end of its life. While gravity causes it to collapse, the star will not collapse entirely. As it shrinks, more particles become compressed, and the Pauli Exclusion Principle becomes relevant.
This principle dictates that certain particles, such as electrons, cannot exist in the same state, which restricts the star from collapsing beyond a specific point. Quantum physics then releases extra energy, preventing gravity from crushing the star further. Consequently, a dead star does not transform into a black hole, as one might expect. Instead, it transforms into a white dwarf.
8. Black Holes stop existing over time
According to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, it is impossible to know two properties of a system simultaneously. For instance, if you want to determine the precise location of an object in space, you cannot accurately determine its velocity at the same time.
Stephen Hawking discovered in 1974 that black holes are not entirely black but emit radiation. This occurs at the boundaries of a black hole, where some particles escape while others are consumed by the black hole. Over time, black holes gradually lose mass and energy, and they will eventually evaporate.
9. Things can be a bit of peculiar
Quantum physics has peculiar implications for our daily experiences, such as quantum entanglement and quantum tunnelling. Quantum entanglement is when two particles can influence each other regardless of the distance between them.
On the other hand, quantum tunnelling is the ability of an object to surpass an energy barrier with superluminal communication. These unusual effects enable distant particles to remain or become linked at a quantum level, as if they were magically connected by an unseen force.
10. It accounts for the size of the universe
Initially, there was the Big Bang, but in the 1980s, the theory was amended to include inflation, a process where the universe grew rapidly before quantum fluctuations, related to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, disappeared. Consequently, certain areas of the universe have more energy concentration than others, which acted as seeds for the creation of clusters of galaxies. This means that galaxies and planets formed from quantum fluctuations in space-time.