An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
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A development of Newtonian mechanics based on the discrete character of energy (Planck 1900) and the wave motion of material particles (de Broglie 1924). It is relies on the consideration that energy state of a quantum mechanical system can be derived at a given instant by a function whose square of the modulus gives the probability distribution of the coordinates of the system. Quantum mechanics is essential for the treatment of all atomic processes. It holds also for ordinary large scale processes although in this case the deviations from Newtonian mechanics are negligible.

→ quantum; → mechanics.

A quantum theory that incorporates special relativity, for example, → quantum electrodynamics.

→ relativistic; → quantum mechanics.