Quantum Mechanics of Atoms

Quantum mechanics studies how particles at a tiny scale, like atoms, behave. Unlike larger objects, atoms can exist in multiple states at once, for instance, spinning both clockwise and counter-clockwise simultaneously. Observations can change their state, a phenomenon we call the "observer effect". At an atomic level, nothing is certain, only probable; we use wave functions to predict these probabilities. Quantum mechanics is essential for understanding the behavior of molecules, semiconductors, lasers, and many other technologies that shape our modern world.