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Adam -> RE: Dr. Compas? (Mar. 9 2011 17:02:06)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Deniz
I think quantum means a certain amount, but you dont know exactly the amount, only that it is a fixed one.
Not quite, Deniz - a quantum refers to a finite amount, but it certainly doesn't have to be fixed. A simple example is the set of energy levels of the hydrogen atom, which vary by quite a bit. Marduk's 4a is the most relevant to how it's used in physics (and it's the usage in physics that's seeped out into popular culture, in things like "quantum leap"). On the subatomic level, things like the spin of an electron or the energy levels in an atom come in discrete quantities, so hydrogen can emit light with energies of 13.6 eV, 3.4 eV, etc., but nothing in between (say, 10 eV). Similarly, a subatomic particle can have a spin which is an integer or half-integer multiple of Planck's constant (ignoring quarks), but you can't have a particle whose spin is, say, 0.34235 times Planck's constant. This is completely different than in the world up here, where you can take a ball and make it spin as quickly or as slowly as you want!
My point is, people tend to use the word "quantum" all the time to mean things it really doesn't mean (like "quantum leap").
My broader point is, the Andalusian guitar thread is dying and we need somewhere to be pedantic about langauge!
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