- In 1900, German physicist Max Planck published a paper that fundamentally changed the scientific understanding of energy and laid the foundation for quantum theory.
- Planck's revolutionary idea, known as the quantum theory, proposed that energy can only be emitted or absorbed in discrete amounts or quanta.
- This concept challenged classical physics, which assumes that energy can vary continuously. Planck's theory paved the way for a new understanding of the nature of energy at the atomic and subatomic levels.
- Planck's quantum theory also contradicted some predictions made by classical physics at high frequencies. Classical physics predicted a steady increase in the intensity of radiation with increasing frequency, leading to an anomaly known as the "ultraviolet catastrophe." Planck's theory, on the other hand, accurately described the observed distribution of radiation intensity, providing a resolution to this conflict.