This lesson about what is quantum physics: quanta, wave-particle duality, entanglement, superposition, and uncertainty. From Planck to quantum computers—simple explanations of microworld laws.
Introduction: The “Magic” of Physics If quantum mechanics makes your head hurt, don’t worry. You are in good company. Niels Bohr, one of the founders of the field, famously said that if you aren’t shocked by quantum theory, you haven’t understood it. In the world of big things—baseballs, planets, cars—physics is predictable. If you throw […]
This lesson introduces students to the wave-particle duality of electrons, from J.J. Thomson’s particle discovery to de Broglie’s matter waves and Davisson-Germer’s diffraction proof. Explore the double-slit experiment, Schrödinger’s wave function, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, and real-world applications like electron microscopes and quantum tunneling in SSDs.
This lesson unpacks Schrödinger’s famous cat paradox, where a feline in a sealed box is both alive and dead until observed, spotlighting the weirdness of quantum superposition and measurement. You’ll explore the experiment’s setup, key quantum principles like wave function collapse, and modern interpretations from decoherence to many-worlds that resolve why cats aren’t zombies in reality.
This lesson demystifies quantum superposition, where particles like electrons exist in multiple states simultaneously until measured, illustrated by the iconic double-slit experiment and Schrödinger’s cat. It covers wave function collapse, decoherence (why cats aren’t zombies), real-world apps in quantum computing and biology, plus advanced experiments for deeper insight.
This lesson unveils quantum tunneling, where subatomic particles like electrons “ghost” through energy barriers they classically can’t overcome, thanks to their wave function’s probability tail. You’ll explore the math (WKB approximation), everyday applications from solar fusion to flash memory, and Nobel-winning discoveries that power modern tech.
In this lesson you will learn about quantum entanglement, where distant particles share a single wave function, instantly determining each other’s states upon measurement—defying classical locality as in Einstein’s “spooky action at a distance.”
This lesson explains the clash between General Relativity’s smooth spacetime and quantum mechanics’ jittery, pixelated universe, especially in extreme places like black holes and the Big Bang. You’ll meet leading quantum gravity ideas—Loop Quantum Gravity, String Theory, emergent and holographic spacetime—and see how gravitational waves and the cosmic microwave background might reveal whether space is truly made of tiny “pixels.
This lesson explores quantum retrocausality through Wheeler’s delayed-choice experiment—where present measurements seem to dictate a photon’s ancient path—and Scully’s quantum eraser, which restores interference patterns even after detection. It covers absorber theory (Feynman-Wheeler), the transactional interpretation, time-symmetric physics, and why the no-signaling theorem prevents usable time travel despite correlations spanning past and future.