Max Planck Sets Forth the Tenets of Quantum Theory
Max Planck, a German physicist born in 1858, is renowned for establishing the foundations of quantum theory, a pivotal development in modern physics. On December 14, 1900, he presented key concepts that revolutionized the understanding of radiation, proposing that energy is emitted in discrete units called quanta. This marked a significant departure from classical physics, which viewed energy as continuous. Planck also introduced Planck's Constant, a universal constant that relates the energy of these quanta to their frequency. His groundbreaking work laid the groundwork for subsequent discoveries by other scientists, including Albert Einstein, and contributed to the emergence of quantum physics, which explores the fundamental behaviors of matter and energy at the subatomic level. For his contributions, Planck received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918. Despite facing challenges during the Nazi regime, his legacy endured, leading to the establishment of the Max Planck Society in his honor. He passed away in 1947, leaving an indelible mark on the scientific community.
Max Planck Sets Forth the Tenets of Quantum Theory
Max Planck Sets Forth the Tenets of Quantum Theory
On December 14, 1900, German physicist Max Planck presented a revolutionary paper to the German Physical Society in Berlin, Germany. This occasion, on which Planck set forth the tenets of quantum theory, is considered the birth of modern quantum physics.
Planck was born on April 23, 1858, in Kiel, Germany. He was educated in Munich and Berlin before becoming a physics professor at the University of Kiel in 1885. Planck relocated to the prestigious University of Berlin in 1889, where he stayed for nearly 30 years. It was in the late 19th century that he developed his theory that radiation, including light, is emitted in discrete packets of energy called quanta. Planck also discovered a universal constant, now known as Planck's Constant, which defines the energy of every quanta by multiplying that constant against its frequency. His work helped lay the foundation for further discoveries in the field of subatomic particles by other scientists, including Albert Einstein, and this branch of physics dealing with how the universe works on its most basic, small-scale level is now known as quantum physics.
In 1918 Planck was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics for his groundbreaking theories and in 1930 he became the head of the foremost association of German scientists, named the Max Planck Society in his honor. He fell into disfavor under the Nazis during the 1930s for his public criticisms of their regime, but he was too distinguished a figure for them to kill, and Planck lived to see his prestige restored after World War II ended. He died on October 4, 1947, at Göttingen, Germany.