Het Baken Trinitas Gymnasium
Quantum superposition
Lizzy Elisabeth Matilde Lampie Panarelli
Physics G4b
Arjan van der Weerd
2 March 2025
, Introduction
Quantum physics, or quantum mechanics, is a branch of physics that deals with the behavior of
matter and energy at exceedingly small scales, such as atoms and subatomic particles. Unlike
classical physics, which governs the behavior of objects we can see and interact with in our daily
lives, quantum physics runs on principles that often defy our intuitive understanding.
At the heart of quantum physics is the idea that energy and matter exist in discrete units called
"quanta." This means that particles like electrons do not just exist as waves or particles, but rather
they can show both properties depending on how they are seen. One of the most well-known aspects
of quantum physics is the concept of wave-particle duality, which means that particles such as light
(photons) and electrons can behave both as waves and particles, depending on the circumstances.
Another key principle is quantization—the idea that certain properties, such as energy, can only
take on specific discrete values, rather than any value within a continuous range. This contrasts
with classical physics, where objects can have any amount of energy.
Quantum physics also introduces the concept of uncertainty, famously described by Werner
Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle. This principle states that there are limits to how precisely we
can know certain pairs of properties of a particle, such as its position and momentum, at the same
time. The more accurately we know one property, the less accurately we can know the other.
Finally, one of the most overwhelming features of quantum physics is superposition. As mentioned
earlier, it suggests that particles can exist in multiple states at once until they are seen, at which
point they "collapse" into a single state. This phenomenon challenges our classical intuition and
has profound implications for our understanding of reality at the quantum level.
(Caltech, What is quantum physics?, sd) (Clegg, 2014)
Superpositions
Quantum superposition
Lizzy Elisabeth Matilde Lampie Panarelli
Physics G4b
Arjan van der Weerd
2 March 2025
, Introduction
Quantum physics, or quantum mechanics, is a branch of physics that deals with the behavior of
matter and energy at exceedingly small scales, such as atoms and subatomic particles. Unlike
classical physics, which governs the behavior of objects we can see and interact with in our daily
lives, quantum physics runs on principles that often defy our intuitive understanding.
At the heart of quantum physics is the idea that energy and matter exist in discrete units called
"quanta." This means that particles like electrons do not just exist as waves or particles, but rather
they can show both properties depending on how they are seen. One of the most well-known aspects
of quantum physics is the concept of wave-particle duality, which means that particles such as light
(photons) and electrons can behave both as waves and particles, depending on the circumstances.
Another key principle is quantization—the idea that certain properties, such as energy, can only
take on specific discrete values, rather than any value within a continuous range. This contrasts
with classical physics, where objects can have any amount of energy.
Quantum physics also introduces the concept of uncertainty, famously described by Werner
Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle. This principle states that there are limits to how precisely we
can know certain pairs of properties of a particle, such as its position and momentum, at the same
time. The more accurately we know one property, the less accurately we can know the other.
Finally, one of the most overwhelming features of quantum physics is superposition. As mentioned
earlier, it suggests that particles can exist in multiple states at once until they are seen, at which
point they "collapse" into a single state. This phenomenon challenges our classical intuition and
has profound implications for our understanding of reality at the quantum level.
(Caltech, What is quantum physics?, sd) (Clegg, 2014)
Superpositions
