Estimated Read Time: 4 minutes
To understand quantum physics, it’s important to understand how it came to be.
Here’s how physics — the study of the universe — has evolved over time.
Phase 1: Natural Philosophy
Until the 1600s, physics was referred to as Natural Philosophy.
Here, thinkers like Aristotle used thought experiments to conceptualize how the universe worked.
This is when the “atom” was first discussed, and the understanding that one element could be solid, liquid, and gas.
But in 1600s, we reached a new level of understanding….
Phase 2: The Scientific Revolution
During the Scientific Revolution, “philosophy” was no longer sufficient to conceptualize the natural world — scientists began to use math, science, and equations.
The Scientific Revolution culminated in 1687 with Isaac Newton’s famous book, titled The Mathematical Principals of Natural Philosophy. This title perfectly captured the forthcoming wave of physics: Take natural philosophy — apply some math to it.
Here’s what happened next…
Phase 3: Classical Physics
Over the next 300 years, we saw significant advancements in our understanding of the universe.
Newton’s Laws of Motion explained the behaviour of physical things, and Maxwell’s Equations explained the behaviour of energy.
These calculations were so good that scientists believed we were only a few adjustments away from mathematizing the entire universe. **
But then things took an unexpected turn…
Phase 4: Quantum Physics
The thing is: Newton’s Laws and Maxwell’s Equations were formulated on everyday conditions — normal sizes, normal speeds.
But in 1905, Einstein started to study the world in extreme conditions — small sizes (atoms), fast speeds (light).
And he discovered that the world functions very differently than what we thought…
So instead of making small tweaks to Newton’s and Maxwell’s equations, scientists began to create all new equations, and all new categories of physics…
Phase 5: Modern Physics
Two new fields of physics were born from Einstein’s findings:
- Relativistic Mechanics — how matter behaves at fast speeds.
- Quantum Mechanics — how energy behaves at small sizes.
These fields represent Modern Physics. Any new theories in physics must account for relativity and quantum mechanics — our new understanding of how the world works.
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In this article on Quantum Field Theory (QFT), we will explore key findings in quantum physics and how they can inform a new perspective of life on earth.
See you there,
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