One of the most groundbreaking and mysterious theories in the history of physical science is quantum physics, often called quantum mechanics. At the turn of the twentieth century, it arose as a serious challenge to the long-established classical Newtonian physics. Intrinsically, quantum physics probes the enigmatic and paradoxical character of the quantum domain by studying the behavior of energy and matter at the microscopic scale.
Background Knowledge
Several revolutionary advances heralded the birth of quantum physics, which gradually broke apart from classical physics. A major player in this conceptual shift was Max Planck, who, in 1900, proposed the idea of energy quantization. Rather than being a continuous whole, Planck posited that energy exists in discrete units called "quanta." After it challenged long-held beliefs, this theory ushered in a new age in physics.
Dilemma of Waves and Particles
The wave-particle duality is a fundamental principle in quantum mechanics; it states that particles like electrons and photons have properties that are both characteristic of waves and of particles.
The classic double-slit experiment proved this duality by showing that particles exhibited wave-like interference patterns. Because it ran counter to conventional wisdom, this event prompted physicists to reevaluate the building blocks of matter and energy.