The Quantum Theory

The Quantum theory is, “based on the principle that matter and energy have the properties of both particles and waves, created to explain the radiation of energy from a blackbody, the photoelectric effect, and the Bohr theory, and now used to account for a wide range of physical phenomena, including the existence of discrete packets of energy and matter, the uncertainty principle, and the exclusion principle” (Farlex Inc. 2012, p.1). In simple terms the Quantum theory has developed through the use of Newtonian physics, Einstein’s special relativity and the particle-wave duality, where all these theories are the basis for explaining the complex theory. There are five main principles within this theory (Think Quest 2012, p.1);

1. Energy is not continuous, but comes in small discrete units
   
2. The elementary particles behave both like particles and waves
   
3. The movement of these particles is inherently random
   
4. It is physically impossible to know both the position and the momentum of a particle at the same time. The more precisely one is known, the less precise the measurement of the other is
   
5. The atomic world is nothing like the world we live in
   

Quantum theory relies on a certain level of uncertainty as we do not why certain aspects occur. It is argued that either it is or it’s not but sometimes is both. It is at this point that both Einstein and Bohr fundamentally disagree.  

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References

Farlex Inc. 2012, “Quantum Theory”, Farlex Inc., viewed 14th October 2012, <http://www.thefreedictionary.com/quantum+theory> 

Think Quest 2012, “What is Quantum physics?”, library think quest, viewed 24th September 2012, <www.library.thinkquest.org/3487/qp.html>