MCQ Detailed View

In 1918, Max Planck, a German physicist, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his groundbreaking discovery of energy quanta, a concept that became the foundation of quantum theory. This discovery transformed our understanding of atomic and subatomic processes and marked the beginning of modern physics.Before Planck's work, scientists believed that energy was emitted or absorbed by matter in a continuous manner. However, experiments on blackbody radiation showed inconsistencies with classical physics. To resolve this, Planck proposed in 1900 that energy is not exchanged continuously but instead in discrete packets or “quanta”. Each quantum has an energy value proportional to the frequency of radiation, described by the famous formula:

$$E=h\nu$$

Where:

• 
  

  $E$ = energy of a quantum

  
  


• 
  

  $h$ = Planck's constant (6.626 × 10⁻³⁴ Js)

  
  


• 
  

  $\nu$ = frequency of the radiation

  
  

This idea was revolutionary because it contradicted traditional physics, which treated energy as a smooth, wave-like flow. Planck's theory explained blackbody radiation perfectly and opened the door for future developments in quantum mechanics, influencing scientists like Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, and Werner Heisenberg.

The other options refer to different discoveries:

• 
  

  Electron was discovered by J.J. Thomson (1897).

  
  


• 
  

  Photon as a concept (light particle) was introduced later by Albert Einstein in 1905 while explaining the photoelectric effect.

  
  


• 
  

  Positron (a positive electron) was discovered by Carl Anderson in 1932.

  
  

Planck’s idea of quantized energy levels was the first step toward understanding atomic structure and particle interactions. It fundamentally changed physics and earned him the Nobel Prize in 1918, recognizing the significance of energy quanta in science.

Hence, the correct answer is Energy quanta.