Introduction

• An angular momentum unique to quantum physics
• Two types of fundamental particles that behave in different ways
• The quantum basis of the periodic table
• An explanation of antimatter

The roaring twenties were really an extraordinary time for the development of quantum physics. So much was learned and discovered in a relatively short time that it took a while for the wider scientific world to catch up and figure out what it all meant.

Much of this work was devoted to tying up loose ends that couldn’t be satisfactorily explained by Schroedinger’s nor Heisenberg’s theories of quantum mechanics. Still unexplained was the reason electrons are allowed to occupy the various quantum states. Besides that, more precise wavelength measurements were revealing some complications beyond the simple atomic emission spectra we’ve considered so far. The solution to these and other puzzles lies in a new kind of angular momentum that is unique to quantum physics.

We put some finishing touches on our description of “modern” quantum physics. Before all’s said and done, we’ll have not only a complete understanding of high-resolution atomic spectroscopy and the periodic table of the elements, but a whole new form of matter as well.