quantum physics
/kwɑntəm ˈfɪzɪks/ · quan·tum f·i·z·ics
noun
- A branch of physics that studies the behavior of matter and energy at an atomic and subatomic level, where the principles of classical physics no longer apply. The researcher spent years studying quantum physics to develop a new theory of particle interactions.
- A field of study that explores the strange and counterintuitive phenomena of the quantum world, including superposition, entanglement, and wave-particle duality. The professor's lecture on quantum physics was so engaging that it sparked a lively discussion among the students.
Did you know? The term 'quantum physics' was first coined by physicist Max Planck in 1900, when he introduced the concept of the 'quantum' to describe the discrete packets of energy that make up the universe.