Does quantum mechanics affect our everyday life?

Question

Does quantum mechanics affect our everyday life?

Answer 1

If, by quantum mechanics, you mean the physical reality that it describes: the way small particles interact, then of course, it affects everything....EVERYTHING. It is the way we experience matter, it is the way matter interacts with matter; and it is the way light and radiation behaves.

If you mean how our understanding of it affect our lives, well, virtually ALL of modern electronics: stereo, computer, communications is dependent on transistor and chip technology which is a direct development of QM. Lasers and everything to do with CD and DVD players is also a result of our understanding quantum mechanics.

Also, developments in metalurgy, plastics, and a lot of medicine is dependent on our understanding of how atoms and molecules interact at this level.

You could reasonably say that most things that we think of as 'the modern world' is related to our understanding of QM.

Answer 2

Theoretically, yes, on a practical level, no.