quantum mechanics
noun, plural in form but singular or plural in constructionDefinition of quantum mechanics
: a theory of matter that is based on the concept of the possession of wave properties by elementary particles, that affords a mathematical interpretation of the structure and interactions of matter on the basis of these properties, and that incorporates within it quantum theory and the uncertainty principle
— called also wave mechanics
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Examples of quantum mechanics in a Sentence
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Recall that quantum mechanics was first developed in Europe, and then moved to the United States. — Jeanne Whalen, Washington Post, "The quantum revolution is coming, and Chinese scientists are at the forefront," 18 Aug. 2019 Surprisingly, although decoherence is a straightforward consequence of quantum mechanics, it was only identified in the 1970s, by the late German physicist Heinz-Dieter Zeh. — Philip Ball, WIRED, "Quantum Darwinism Could Explain What Makes Reality Real," 28 July 2019 Surprisingly, although decoherence is a straightforward consequence of quantum mechanics, it was only identified in the 1970s, by the late German physicist Heinz-Dieter Zeh. — Quanta Magazine, "Quantum Darwinism, an Idea to Explain Objective Reality, Passes First Tests," 22 July 2019 That quantum mechanics is a successful theory is not in dispute. — Wired, "A New Quantum Paradox Flags Errors in Our View of Reality," 9 Dec. 2018 The electron had only been discovered 10 years earlier; quantum mechanics, which held the answer, was 20 years away. — Safi Bahcall, WIRED, "NASA Needs to Out-Crazy Elon Musk," 3 July 2019 One reason is that the computers, which aim to harness the laws of quantum mechanics to accelerate certain computations, are still rudimentary, with radically different designs contending. — Adrian Cho, Science | AAAS, "How to evaluate computers that don’t quite exist," 26 June 2019 One is quantum mechanics, which deals with the behaviour of very small things like molecules, atoms and subatomic particles. — The Economist, "How Einstein and Eddington stood against jingoism," 7 June 2019 But there’s a natural limit: Ever-tinier components eventually leave behind the predictable everyday world and enter the unpredictable realm of quantum mechanics. — Stephen Ornes, Discover Magazine, "State of Science: Approaching Quantum Supremacy," 15 Jan. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'quantum mechanics.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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