Quantum mechanics is arguably the most successful scientific theory ever created. It underpins everything from smartphones and lasers to MRI scanners and modern computing. But a century after its discovery, physicists still can't agree on what it means. What does quantum mechanics actually tell us about reality? Can something be real if it can’t be observed?
If you've ever wondered why physicists say quantum mechanics is ‘weird’, this is the place to start.
In this first of three episodes on quantum mechanics, Professor Jim Al-Khalili explores the early observations and experiments that shattered classical physics and led to our understanding of wave-particle duality. In episode 2, we'll compare Pilot Wave Theory, the Many Worlds Interpretation and Objective Collapse to see whether the universe is really as strange as it seems.
*Chapters*
00:00 Why quantum mechanics is weird
02:22 The wave theory of light
07:42 The birth of quantum mechanics
10:15 The ultraviolet catastrophe
11:26 Einstein and the photoelectric effect
16:29 Wave-particle duality
17:20 The double-slit experiment
19:03 Does quantum mechanics destroy determinism?
21:28 Schrödinger's wave function and probabilities
25:28 Does reality exist before measurement?
27:15 Quantum realism
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Some ideas are hard to wrap your head around, but science doesn't have to be baffling. Unbaffled helps curious people, like you, develop an intuitive understanding of the science that shapes our world. Presented by Professor Jim Al-Khalili, we’re bringing you clear explanations of topics across science, technology and maths that will leave you informed and amazed.
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