What is quantum mechanics?

⚛️ What Is Quantum Mechanics?

Quantum mechanics is the branch of physics that describes the behavior of matter and energy at very small scales, like atoms and subatomic particles (electrons, photons, etc.). It’s radically different from classical physics and reveals a universe that is probabilistic, non-intuitive, and often strange—but it works incredibly well.

🔑 Core Ideas of Quantum Mechanics

1. Wave-Particle Duality

Particles like electrons and photons behave both like particles and waves.
Example: In the double-slit experiment, electrons fired one at a time still create an interference pattern like a wave.

2. Quantization

Energy, charge, and other quantities come in discrete packets, or "quanta".
Example: Light isn’t just a wave—it's also made of particles called photons, each with a fixed energy:
where E is energy, h is Planck’s constant, and f is frequency.

3. Uncertainty Principle (Heisenberg)

You cannot know both the exact position and momentum of a particle at the same time:
The more precisely you know one, the less precisely you can know the other.

4. Superposition

A particle can exist in multiple states at once until it is measured.
Example: A quantum bit (qubit) can be both 0 and 1 at the same time, unlike a regular bit.

5. Entanglement

Particles can become entangled, meaning the state of one instantly affects the state of another—even across large distances.
Einstein called it “spooky action at a distance.”

6. Probability and the Wavefunction

The behavior of particles is described by a wavefunction (Ψ), which contains all possible states.
The square of the wavefunction (|Ψ|²) gives the probability of finding a particle in a certain state or place.
When you measure it, the wavefunction "collapses" to a specific value.

🔬 Why Is It Important?

💡 Real-World Applications

🧠 Famous Interpretations

🧪 Quick Summary

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