Atomic electron transition

A quantum leap is the transition from a quantum mechanical state to another. The term was coined in the early 20th century. Background was the discovery that the fundamental contradictions of that physics can be resolved by assuming that some physical systems can only assume discrete states. Since the intermediate states are not allowed, the exchange of such a system from one state to another must directly, " leaps and bounds " as applicable. This discovery was in complete contradiction to the former idea that in nature all processes are continuous ( natura non facit saltus ).

The term was originally coined quantum leap because they needed a word to name a newly discovered phenomenon. Some physicists, such as Schrödinger, the term but rejected because it suggests the wrong idea of an immediate transition. Today the word quantum leap in the physical terminology is rarely used. One speaks generally of transitions.

The common parlance meant by a quantum leap one caused by a discovery that idea or invention unusually great progress in a particular area. This contradicts this use of the original physical meaning. In this are " quantum " the smallest possible energy difference of discrete states. Thus, it is a so-called Janus word ( Autoantonym ) having opposite meanings.

666896
de