Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
In physics, quantum refers to discrete packets or bundles of energy. It is the fundamental unit of energy that can be gained or lost by an atom or subatomic particle.
A photon is a quantum of light or electromagnetic radiation. It behaves both as a particle and a wave.
Energy Quantization: Energy quantization refers to the concept that energy levels in atoms are discrete rather than continuous, meaning they can only exist at specific values rather than any value within a range.