Quantum mechanics and the detestable fashion of invoking it inappropriately

quantum mechanics, quantum physics, quantum theory. These are words now on everyone's lips, but despite the fact that they are subjects dealt with adequately almost exclusively at the University, moreover having an in-depth knowledge of classical physics as the basis of their preparation, they are used as if they were tombstones to close any speech of science or pseudoscience by virtue of the invocation alone.

Whoever arrives first to call into question “la quantum mechanics” he won. Whoever is the first to say that this or that theory can be explained by quantum physics (without ever adding anything else) can be considered the guardian of the truth.

Everyone is fascinated by the halo of mystery which gravitates around quantum physics, but it is a fascination that does not generate curiosity. Just the word. No one would ever want to find themselves listening to explanations they make use of mathematical tools so unfamiliar and difficult to understand. So no one asks questions.

From homeopathy to biodynamic agriculture, from telepathy to bioenergetic nutrition, passing through holistic massages and vibrational energy medicine: these are just a few examples of the disciplines that often, but inappropriately, bring up quantum physics.

Every year in February, thanks to the anniversary dedicated to lovers, the quanta insinuate themselves into people's relationships. For many there is “theequation of love“, which is none other than that of Dirac and that does not apply, as lovers would like, to macroscopic systems, but only at the sub-atomic level. Not to mention that it describes the motion of a single particle, free to move, but which does not interact with other fields or particles.

Una very popular writer even used the expression of Dirac's equation (in a mathematically incorrect formulation) to launch one of his book, once again bringing this mathematical formula closer to the general concept of quantum entanglement.

No one has escaped the call of quantum physics "that everything can, but no one knows how". Also social networks have been invaded by quantum magic: a viral video shows hundreds of colored marbles which, placed in a transparent plexiglass box, are perfectly divided by colour. Without any mechanical intervention, just bouncing. The explanation speaks of "resonant vibration“, obviously daughter of quantum physics. But it's just a trick of computer graphics.

La science deserves respect. To use his name, or the name of his various emanations, without having understood at least the fundamental principle it is incorrect and counterproductive. The mistake is precisely that of applying a label to a problem, asking the experts to explain a phenomenon which according to them has nothing to do with the label used.

Then there is the aggravating circumstance of being stuck in meaning. “Quantum” is related to “how many”, but concretely, what are we talking about? What's a "as“? In physics, we are in the presence of a "quantum", when a greatness has two connotations: it is indivisible e discreet. This means that there is no such thing as a “quantum and a half” or “half a quantum”. It is not simply a unit of measure (which has fractional multiples and submultiples), but a indestructible brick through which, for example, the whole theory relating to the study of energy as electromagnetic radiation is built. Another example of a quantized quantity is la electric charge. Apart from quarks and strings, there is no object that has less charge than the electron. For this reason, the electron represents the fundamental unit of charge.

At this point, as specified at the beginning, four or five university courses are necessarily needed to go further. If we get to six, maybe we can think of getting passionate about the subject. For sure we need the first two courses of Mathematical analysis need General Physics. Indispensable is also the course of Geometry and Algebra. Dirac, who is one of the creators of quantum mechanics, independently of colleagues who studied the matter, worked out a new formulation of quantum theory, called "quantum algebra“. So think how much further we have to build, on these foundations, in order to understand what we would like to invoke as a "certifying science", but which inexorably condemns us to study.