EINSTEIN HEISENBERG PLANCK
Albert Einstein was a
German-born theoretical
Niels Henrik David Bohr
was a Danish physicist
? Austrian physicist who
physicist who developed who made foundational
the theory of relativity, contributions to
one of the two pillars of understanding atomic
modern physics. structure and quantum
theory
SCHRÖDINGER BOHR
developed a number of
Niels Henrik David Bohr
was a Danish physicist
fundamental results in who made foundational
the field of quantum contributions to
theory, which formed the understanding atomic
basis of wave mechanics: structure and quantum
he formulated the wave theory
equation .
MAX PLANCK
 MAX PLANCK
QUICK FACTS
Also Known As: Max Karl Ernst Ludwig Planck, FRS
Famous As: Physicist
Nationality: German
Birth Date: April 23, 1858
Died At Age: 89
Sun Sign: Taurus
Born In: Kiel
Father: Johann Julius Wilhelm Planck
Mother: Emma Patzig
Spouses/Partners: Marie Merck, Marga Von Hoesslin
Children: Erwin Planck, Karl Planck, Emma Planck, Grete Planck,
Hermann Planck
Religion: Protestantism, Lutheranism
Died On: October 4, 1947
Place Of Death: Göttingen
 Max Karl Ernst Ludwig
Planck or simply Max Planck
was a German scientist and
theoretical physicist who
brought about a paradigm
shift in the study of physics
in the late 19th century with
his quantum theory of
physics.

When he was a student in school, Planck however, he changed his mind later Planck’s greatest contribution in physics was the
displayed a great talent in music and could on and decided to study physics. introduction of quantum physics as a distinct branch of
have studied music physics in the late 19th century
WHO WAS MAX
 Who was Max Planck?
Near the beginning of the twentieth century, a
revolution was happening in physics. Although
most people in the world were not aware of it,
this revolution would ultimately change our
daily lives in a profound way and pave the way
for current technology like the personal
computer and smart phone.
The fundamentals of classical mechanics, which
had governed physics for many years, were
being challenged as scientists learned more
and more about the tiniest particles that make
up our universe. This new field of science was
called quantum mechanics, and one of the first
people to begin studying it was a German
 Planck’s
Discover
ies

MAX PLANCK’S
CONTRIBUTION
 Planck's Constant and the
Origins of Quantum Theory
From an early age, Max Planck was fascinated
by the idea that energy was conserved. He
What he discovered surprised him! He
chose to make this the foundation of his Ph.D.
found
work, and that only studying
continued certain energy
amountsafter of
he
energy
became a were
professoremitted. He called
at the University each
of Berlin.
individual
He focused his tinyworkpacket
on the of energy ofa
phenomenon
black body of
quantum radiation.
energy.At From
the time, it was
this, he
already known
derived an that a perfect equation,
important black body would
now
absorb and then readmit all the radiation that
known as Planck's Law, relating the
hits it. Planck set out to better understand this
frequency
process andofdetermine
radiation to the
a way amount the
to calculate of
energy
amount of emitted.
energy that would be emitted.
 Planck's Law and Black Body
Planck moved to Berlin after graduation and began working as a
Radiation
professor of physics at the University of Berlin where he would
spend the rest of his career. Even as a student, he was fascinated
by energy and how it is conserved in physical processes, and he
continued to study energy conservation in Berlin.

In 1900, he discovered something remarkable that would change the

world of science forever. A few years earlier, another scientist
working in Berlin named Gustav Kirchhoff discovered that some
objects, which he called black bodies, absorbed and then emitted all
the energy that hit them. He called this phenomenon black body
radiation.

Planck decided to study black body radiation in more detail, and he

found something very interesting. Black bodies always radiated an
amount of energy that was proportional to the frequency of the
electromagnetic waves they absorbed. He was surprised to find that
energy was always emitted in tiny, discrete packets. Each tiny packet of
energy is called a quantum of energy. This was the beginning of a new
field of science, called quantum mechanics, that studies the nature of
tiny elementary particles.
PLANCK'S LAW
 Planck's Constant and the
Origins of Quantum Theory
Of course, new ideas about how the
This
worldwas works
an important
are moment
rarely inaccepted
science
because no one had realized that energy was
immediately. There were many scientists
only released from atoms in small, discrete
who thought
amounts. This Planck was wrong
understanding was and the
didn't hesitate
beginning to point
of quantum out Itwhat
mechanics. led tothey
the
perceived asof faults
development in hisoflogic.
a new model Planck
the atom and,
even today, philosophical
remained scientists are still tryingthis,
about to
understand
however, thesaying:
full implications
''An of these ideas.
important
Planck would go on to receive a Nobel Prize in
scientific innovation rarely makes its
1918 for this revolutionary work.
way by gradually winning over and
converting its opponents. What does
PLANCK CONSTANT
PLANCK CONSTANT
This was the first time that anyone noticed energy was quantized like
this, and Planck's discovery set off a revolution in physics. He showed
that there was a simple relationship between the amount of energy
emitted and the frequency of electomagnetic radiation. This
relationship is now known as Planck's law, and the constant, h, is
called Planck's constant.
 Planck's Solution
Planck's problem was initially a technical one; he was simply searching for
an equation that would allow the emission of radiation of all wavelengths
by a hot body to be correctly described. He hit upon the idea of
correlating the entropy of the oscillator with its energy. Following his
intuition he found himself able to obtain a new radiation formula, which
was in close agreement with actual measurements under all conditions.
There was, however, something unusual about the Planck formula. He had found that in
seeking a relationship between the energy emitted or absorbed by a body and the
frequency of radiation he had to introduce a constant of proportionality, which could only
take integral multiples of a certain quantity. Expressed mathematically, E = nhν, where E is
the energy, h is the constant of proportionality, ν (nu) is the frequency, and n = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4,
etc. It follows from this that nature was being selective in the amounts of energy it would
allow a body to accept and to emit, allowing only those amounts that were multiples of hν.
The value of h is very small, so that radiation of energy at the macroscopic level where n is
very large is likely to seem to be emitted continuously.
 Planck's Solution
h = 6.62 x 10-27 erg sec

Planck's introduction of what he called the 'elementary quantum of action' was a

revolutionary idea - a radical break with classical physics. Soon other workers began to
apply the concept that 'jumps' in energy could occur. Einstein's explanation of the
photoelectric effect (1905), Niels Bohr's theory of the hydrogen atom (1913), and
Arthur Compton's investigations of X-ray scattering (1923) were early successes of the
quantum theory. In 1918 Planck was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics. The
constant h (6.626196 x 10-34 joule second) is known as the Planck constant - the value
Planck's Solution
MAX PLANK PHOTO
MAX PLANCK PLANCK’S QOUTES
TRIVIAS “A new scientific truth
does not triumph by
convincing its
opponents and making
them see the light, but
rather because its
opponents eventually
die, and a new
generation grows up
that is familiar with
it.”
MAXTRIVIAS
PLANCK

Max Planck was the only person who was

in the fan club of Einstein. He believed him
and took him seriously, others never
believed in his proposal and papers.

Max Planck is the father of Quantum

Mechanics. Yes, I know you know this
but I and many other people were
always confused with Albert Einstein.

Max Planck discarded the law of Rayleigh-

Jeans ( formula ) because there was
Ultraviolet Catastrophe. He came with his
reliable theory of quantized energy of
photons ( energy density ).

Max Planck was gifted when it came

to music. He played great piano but
chose Physics instead.
MAXTRIVIAS
PLANCK

His father, grandfather and great-

grandfather were all professors.

This approach is considered the birth of

quantum physics and was considered one of
the scientific breakthroughs that most
influenced modern physics.
“Science cannot In recognition of his creation of a new
solve the ultimate branch of physics he received the Nobel
Prize in Physics in 1918.
mystery of nature.”
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