Max Planck: The Father of Quantum Physics and the Beginning of a New Scientific Era

Max Planck: The Father of Quantum Physics and the Beginning of a New Scientific Era

Science is built on the work of great minds who challenged the conventions of their time. Among them is Max Planck , considered the father of quantum physics. His studies of thermal radiation not only solved a puzzle of classical physics, but also opened the door to a new scientific era - an era where certainty gave way to probability and nature revealed surprising behaviors.

In this article, we will explore who Max Planck was, what his main contribution to science was, and how his ideas forever changed the way we understand the universe.

Who was Max Planck?

Max Karl Ernst Ludwig Planck was born on April 23, 1858 , in the city of Kiel, Germany. From an early age he showed interest in physics and mathematics, and throughout his life he became one of the most respected scientists of his time.

He graduated in physics from the University of Munich and received his doctorate in 1879, the same year Albert Einstein was born. For much of his career, Planck taught at the University of Berlin, where he gained prestige for his studies in thermodynamics.

But it was at the end of the 19th century that he would make a discovery that would change the course of science.

The problem of the black body: the challenge of the times

In Planck's time, physicists were trying to understand how heated objects emit radiation—so-called black-body radiation . Classical physics predicted that the energy radiated would increase indefinitely with the frequency of light, which created a paradox known as the ultraviolet catastrophe . That is, according to existing theory, an object should emit infinite energy at high frequencies—something that, of course, did not happen in practice.

It was necessary to find a new explanation for this behavior.

The revolution: the emergence of quantization

In 1900 , Planck came up with a bold idea: energy is not emitted continuously, but in small discrete packets . He called these packets quanta (plural of quantum) and introduced the constant that today bears his name: Planck's constant (h) .

The equation he proposed was:

E = hν

Where:

• And it is the energy

• h is Planck's constant

• ν (Greek letter nu) is the frequency of the radiation

  
  

This formula worked perfectly to describe blackbody radiation—but it implied a radical change in worldview. The idea that energy could exist only in specific amounts was completely new and revolutionary.

The implications of the discovery

Planck's proposal was initially seen as a mathematical solution, not as a real physical theory. Planck himself was initially skeptical about the deeper interpretation of his equation. But in the years that followed, other scientists—such as Einstein, Bohr, and Schrödinger—realized that this idea was the starting point of a new physics: quantum physics .

The quantum theory developed from this discovery would explain a series of phenomena that classical physics could not address, such as:

• The photoelectric effect (Einstein)

• The structure of atoms (Bohr)

• The behavior of electrons in atoms (Schrödinger)

• Uncertainty in measurements (Heisenberg)

  
  

It all started with Planck's insight into the quantization of energy.

The legacy of Max Planck

For his extraordinary contribution, Max Planck received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918. His constant (h) became one of the most fundamental in physics, and his name was immortalized in several scientific institutions and units, such as:

• Max Planck Institute , in Germany - world reference in scientific research.

• Unit of action (h) , which represents the smallest possible action value in nature.

• Recognition as the "father of quantum physics" , a title deserved for his central role in the birth of the theory.

  
  

In addition to science, Planck's life was marked by profound personal tragedies, including the loss of his children and the execution of one of them by the Nazi regime for participating in a conspiracy against Hitler. Even so, he maintained his commitment to ethics, science and peace.

Planck's influence on modern science

Modern physics—including technologies such as lasers, semiconductors, quantum computing, and even GPS—would not be possible without the foundations laid by Planck. His work gave rise to a new language for science: one based on probabilities, dualities, and nonintuitive phenomena.

Today, quantum physics is a central part of any scientist's training, and its applications range from cosmology to molecular biology. Planck's importance transcends his time - he was the starting point for a revolution that is still ongoing.

The beginning of everything

Max Planck's contribution was not just mathematical - it was conceptual. He had the courage to propose a solution that broke with centuries of scientific tradition, opening the way for a broader and more sophisticated view of the universe.

By quantizing energy, Planck also quantized our way of seeing the world. The invisible began to have its own rules. Reality, previously considered continuous and predictable, revealed itself to be fragmented and uncertain - but still beautiful and ordered in its own way.

Without Max Planck, we might never have discovered the quantum universe. And without the quantum universe, we might never have understood the complexity that surrounds and shapes us.