Quantum mechanics is a theory in physics that provides a lens on the behaviour of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic scales. It serves as the foundation for various branches of study, including particle physics, quantum field theory, and quantum electrodynamics.
- Particle Physics, a sub-field of quantum mechanics, focuses on experimental investigations into the fundamental particles composing matter and the forces acting between them. Research in particle physics, often conducted at facilities like the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, has confirmed the dual nature of light (both wave and particle) and fundamental particles like the photon.
- Quantum Field Theory (QFT), another aspect of quantum mechanics, describes particles as excitations of underlying quantum fields. The Standard Model is a QFT theory that describes the three fundamental forces of nature (the electromagnetic force, the weak nuclear force, and the strong nuclear force).
- Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) is a Quantum Field Theory that describes the interaction of light with charged particles. It describes how electromagnetic interactions work at the quantum level. QED has accounted for properties of light such as the photoelectric effect and Compton scattering.