How Quantum Mechanics Saved Physics From Ovens

What was the unexpected origin of quantum mechanics?

• The study of ovens

• The behavior of individual atoms

• The use of particle accelerators

• The study of electromagnetic fields

What is a black body as conceptualized by Gustav Kirchhoff?

• An object that transmits all light

• An object that reflects all light

• An object that absorbs all light and emits radiation based on temperature

• An object that emits light only when heated to extreme temperatures

What was the main issue with Wien's distribution law?

• It only worked for short wavelengths

• It predicted infinite energy at long wavelengths

• It was not based on any theoretical grounds

• It was only applicable to gases

What principle did Lord Rayleigh apply to the distribution of heat energy?

• The principle of relativity

• The equipartition theorem

• The conservation of energy

• The uncertainty principle

What was the 'ultraviolet catastrophe'?

• The discovery of ultraviolet light in ovens

• The prediction of infinite ultraviolet radiation from objects

• The failure of Wien's law at short wavelengths

• The inability to measure ultraviolet light

How did Max Planck resolve the issues with black body radiation?

• By using a new type of oven

• By introducing the concept of energy quanta

• By applying the principle of relativity

• By refining Wien's distribution law

What did Planck's discovery lead to in the field of physics?

• The invention of the particle accelerator

• The discovery of new elements

• The birth of quantum mechanics

• The development of classical mechanics

What was Einstein's contribution to Planck's discovery?

• He disproved Planck's theory

• He introduced the concept of photons

• He invented a new type of oven

• He developed the theory of relativity

What assumption did Planck make about energy?

• Energy cannot be measured accurately

• Energy is only emitted at high temperatures

• Energy is quantized into discrete packets

• Energy is continuous

What does the story of quantum mechanics and ovens illustrate about scientific theories?

• Theories are based on assumptions that never change

• Theories must adapt when faced with contradictory evidence

• Theories are always correct

• Theories are only applicable to complex systems