Physics: Modern

Modern physics guides covering special and general relativity, quantum mechanics and wave-particle duality, nuclear physics and radioactivity, particle physics and the Standard Model, and cosmology.

Articles in this section

Special Relativity: Spacetime and the Speed of Light Explore Einstein's special theory of relativity, covering time dilation, length contraction, the Lorentz transformation, … 8 min General Relativity: Curved Spacetime and Gravitation Understand Einstein's general theory of relativity, where gravity emerges from curved spacetime, covering black holes, … 8 min Quantum Mechanics Basics: Wave Functions and Probability Learn the foundational principles of quantum mechanics, including wave functions, superposition, measurement, and the … 7 min Wave-Particle Duality: Light and Matter as Both Wave and Particle Discover the wave-particle duality of light and matter, from the double-slit experiment to de Broglie waves and the … 8 min Quantum States and Observables: Dirac Notation and Operators Explore the mathematical framework of quantum states, observables, Dirac notation, Hermitian operators, and the … 8 min The Schrödinger Equation: Quantum Evolution and Wave Dynamics Master the Schrödinger equation, the fundamental law of quantum evolution, covering its derivation, interpretation, and … 8 min Quantum Tunneling: Particles Through Barriers Explore quantum tunneling, where particles pass through barriers that classical physics forbids, with applications in … 7 min Nuclear Physics: Structure of the Atomic Nucleus Examine nuclear physics, covering the strong nuclear force, nuclear binding energy, nuclear models, and applications in … 8 min Radioactivity: Types, Decay Processes, and Applications Understand radioactivity — alpha, beta, and gamma decay, half-life calculations, radiation detection, and practical … 7 min Particle Physics: Fundamental Particles and Interactions Survey particle physics, exploring quarks, leptons, gauge bosons, and the experimental methods used to discover and … 7 min The Standard Model of Particle Physics Explore the Standard Model of particle physics, its particle content, gauge symmetries, the Higgs mechanism, and its … 7 min Quantum Field Theory: Particles as Field Excitations Explore quantum field theory, where particles emerge as excitations of underlying fields, covering Feynman diagrams, … 7 min Cosmology: Origin, Structure, and Fate of the Universe Explore modern cosmology, from the Big Bang and cosmic inflation to dark matter, dark energy, and the ultimate fate of … 7 min Astrophysics: Stars, Galaxies, and the Interstellar Medium Discover the fundamentals of astrophysics, from stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis to galaxy formation, black holes, … 7 min Condensed Matter Physics: Solids, Liquids, and Quantum Materials Explore condensed matter physics, covering crystal structures, band theory, superconductivity, semiconductors, and … 8 min Atomic Physics: Structure of Atoms and Their Spectra Examine atomic physics, including the Bohr model, electron configurations, atomic spectra, spin-orbit coupling, and … 8 min Quantum Computing: Physics Behind the Revolution Understand the physics of quantum computing, from qubits and quantum gates to superposition, entanglement, quantum … 8 min Relativity and Quantum Mechanics: The Quest for Unification Explore the frontier where relativity meets quantum mechanics, covering quantum field theory in curved spacetime, string … 8 min