Max PlanckThe Father of Quantum Physics

By: Michael Showak

Basic Facts• Planck was born 1858 and died in 1947• He spent his entire life living in Germany• He was married twice; had 5 kids, four of which

died before Planck• He was a professor at the University of Berlin from

1892-1926• Served as president of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society

from 1930 to 1937 and was a permanent secretary in the Prussian Academy of Sciences from 1912 to 1938

• He received the Nobel Prize in 1918 for his work in physics

Accomplishments• Determined the relationship between energy

and the frequency of electromagnetic radiation (E=hv) by finding the constant h

• Published papers on entropy, thermoelectricity and the theory of dilute solutions

• Was one of the leaders in physics and was very influential in the science community

Uses of E=hv

Planck’s formula E= hv can be used to explain

common things, like why a blue flame is hotter than

a yellow one.

Blue Flamec=λv

3×108 m/s= 4.5×10-7 m × vv = 6.67×1014

E=hvE=6.626×10-34 × 6.67×1014

E=4.42×10-19

Yellow Flamec=λv

3×108 m/s= 6.0×10-7 m × vv = 5.0×1014

E=hvE=6.626×10-34 × 5.0×1014

E=3.31×10-19

E=4.42×10-19 E=3.31×10-19>

Electromagnetic Spectrum

Just remember the energy of wave is directly proportional to the frequency of the wave,

or in other words,

as the frequency of a wave increase, the energy of the wave also increases.

E=hv

EnergyPlanck’s constantFrequency of light

(number of waves per second)

What does the formula mean?

Planck’s constant

.00000000000000000000000000000000066260755 Js

6.6260755 × 10−34 JsThis number is one of the most important numbers in all of physics. Nearly everything we know about subatomic particles today is based on Planck’s constant.

Some of its uses include:

• Einstein’s explanation of the photoelectric effect• Quantum mechanics• Bohr’s model of the atom• And many other physics problems

Other WorkOne easy example of the theories that came out of these papers is why and ice cube melts in a warm room.

Based on Planck’s work on thermoelectricity and entropy, the air molecules want to give their energy to the H2O molecules so that all of the molecules in the room become the same temperature

As the air transfers its energy the H2O increases in temperature and changes from a solid to a liquid.

Planck’s papers on entropy, thermoelectricity and the theory of dilute solutions stated many things that were already known, but Planck was one of the first people to put the down in words.

References• “Max Karl Ernst Ludwig Planck.” World Book’s Biographical Encyclopedia of Scientists.

2003 ed.• “Planck.” The Biographical Dictionary of Scientists 1994. ed.• Nobel Lectures, Physics 1901-1921. Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam. 1967.• "Max Planck." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 4 Mar 2006.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Max_Planck&oldid=41678895>. • “Max Planck Exhibition.” Max Planck Society. 4 Mar 2006. < http://www.max-

planck.mpg.de/frameset_e.html>• “Max Planck” Britannica Standard Edition 2004 CD. 2004 Ed.

“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.” – Max Planck