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Chapter 1
Introduction

One normally makes a distinction between quantum mechanics and quantum physics. Quantum physics is concerned with those processes that involve discrete energies, and quanta (such as photons). Quantum Mechanics concerns the study of a specific part of quantum physics, those quantum phenomena described by Schrödinger’s equation.

Quantum physics plays a rôle on small (atomic and subatomic) scales (say length scales of the order of 1{0}^{−9}m) and below. You can see whether an expression has a quantum-physical origin as soon as it contains Planck’s constant in one of its two guises

\begin{eqnarray} h& =& 6.626 ⋅ 1{0}^{−34}Js, %& \\ ℏ& =& h∕2π = 1.055 ⋅ 1{0}^{−34}Js.%&(1.1) \\ \end{eqnarray}

Here we shall shortly review some of the standard examples for the break-down classical physics, which can be described by introducing quantum principles.

 1.1 Black-body radiation
 1.2 Photo-electric effect
 1.3 Hydrogen atom
 1.4 Wave particle duality
 1.5 Uncertainty
 1.6 Tunneling

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