Aharonov-Bohm effect

The Aharonov-Bohm effect reveals that in quantum physics, particles like electrons can be influenced by electromagnetic potentials even when traveling through regions with no magnetic or electric fields. Imagine a magnetic field confined inside a tiny loop (like a magnet ring); electrons passing outside this loop still experience a change in their quantum wavefunction due to the surrounding potential. This results in measurable shifts in interference patterns, showing that in quantum mechanics, potentials—rather than just fields—can affect particle behavior. It's a key example of how the quantum world differs from classical intuition.