quantum theory explains th nature and behavior of energy and matter on the quantum (atomic and sub atomic) level. the nature and behaviour of matter and energy at that level is sometimes referred to as quantuk physics and quantum mechanics.
In 1900, physicist Max Planck presented his quantum theory to the German Physical Society. Planck had sought to discover the reason that radiation from a glowing body changes in color from red, to orange, and, finally, to blue as its temperature rises. He found that by making the assumption that energy existed in individual units in the same way that matter does, rather than just as a constant electromagnetic wave - as had been formerly assumed - and was therefore quantifiable, he could find the answer to his question. The existence of these units became the first assumption of quantum theory.
Planck wrote a mathematical equation involving a figure to represent these individual units of energy, which he called quanta. The equation explained the phenomenon very well; Planck found that at certain discrete temperature levels (exact multiples of a basic minimum value), energy from a glowing body will occupy different areas of the color spectrum. Planck assumed there was a theory yet to emerge from the discovery of quanta, but, in fact, their very existence implied a completely new and fundamental understanding of the laws of nature. Planck won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his theory in 1918, but developments by various scientists over a thirty-year period all contributed to the modern understanding of quantum theory.
the essential element of quantum theory
- enegery, like matter, consist if discrete units; as opposed to continuous wave
- elementary particles of energy and matter, depending the conditions, may behave like particles or waves
- the movement of elementary particles is inheritly random, and thus,unpredictable
- the simultaneous measurement of two complementary values such as the position and momentum of a particle -- is flawed. the more precisely one value is measured, the more flawed the measurement of the other value will be.