Category: Quantum Mechanics
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Limitations of Bohr’s Quantum Theory of Spectra
Even though Niels Bohr’s quantum theory of spectra was regarded as one of the most revolutionary and successful theory of atomic dynamics, it was limited in the following ways: To overcome some of these limitations, Louis Victor de Broglie hypothesized that because photons have wave and particle characteristics, perhaps all forms of matter have wave…
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What are Atom Traps?
Atoms that are cooled below a millikelvin can also be held in space with either static magnetic fields, laser fields, or a combination of a weak magnetic field and circularly polarized light. Atoms traps can be used to accumulate a large number of laser-cooled atoms; confine them for further cooling and use them for studies…
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The Equivalence Principle & Black Holes
The equivalence principle is one of the laws of nature and it is connected with the nature of gravitation. In general relativity theory, the equivalence principle states that a gravitational field is locally equivalent to an accelerated frame. To be precise, it says that a freely falling observer or system will not experience the effects…
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Quantum Mechanics vs. Newtonian Mechanics
Though quantum mechanics is a dynamical theory much like Newtonian mechanics, there are key differences between the two. In Newton’s mechanics, the state of a particle at t = 0 is specified by giving its initial position x (0) and velocity v (0) – only two numbers; Quantum mechanics demands an entire wavefunction ψ (x,…