Introducing Quantum Theory

A Graphic Guide by J.P.McEvoy and Oscar Zarate

ISBN: 978-184046850-2

First published 1996

173 pages

Cover design: Edward Bettison

4/5 Stars

For 25 years at the beginning of the 20th century, a most remarkable set of scientists developed what would become known as Quantum Theory. Einstein, Pauli, Dirac, Schrödinger, Planck, Born, Curie, Bohr, De Broglie, and Heisenberg, met regularly at conferences and exchanged letters and papers throughout Europe. Mostly men (with the exception of Marie Curie), mostly German (Einstein was Swiss German, Heisenberg and Born was Danish), they nevertheless took part in a remarkable cascade of ideas.

Using cartoons, graphs, tables, annotated photographs, maps and other images this book brings to life the development of Quantum Theory. The orbits of an electron, and the light spectral signature of gases, or elements of the periodic table, are two key concepts explained particularly well. An ongoing debate is still raging over the naivety of assuming local conditions in atomic systems, for example, does Quantum Theory support “communication faster than light, even instantaneously“? (Page170)

The ‘golden age’ of Quantum Theory ended when Hitler ascended to power in Germany, and the scientists were scattered across the world.

For all the fabulous work created and the discoveries made, we are still searching for an explanation for Quantum Theory; “how come the Quantum?”.

The ongoing debate is nicely illustrated in this final set of quotations, with Einstein stating  “God does not play dice with the universe”, to which Bohr replied, “Einstein, stop telling God what to do!”