When you hear the phrase ¨Quantum physics¨ what do you think of? The word ¨Quantum¨ is thrown around frequently in science fiction without giving it proper context. It seems like you run into some magical ¨quantum¨ force in nearly every piece of science fiction media. In reality, it simply means the smallest amount of something, usually mass or energy when discussing physics. The mystification of quantum physics has made the field seem a lot more complicated than it is.
While you may think that quantum physics only matters when studying black holes, singularities, or nuclear reactions, that is far from the truth! Quantum physics helps us understand many different processes we see in the world around us, including those in our own bodies! The next time you smell a freshly baked pie, watch a movie, or eat a nice salad, you can thank quantum physics.
The process that allows your eyes to detect light, your nose to pick up smells, and plants to photosynthesize is called quantum tunneling. Quantum tunneling is when a particle (the smallest possible amount, or quanta, of mass) manages to overcome a potential energy barrier that classical physics says it can't. All of these reactions happen when a very small particle (a photon of light or microscopic odorant) is placed in an organic environment where a reaction, by classical standards, should not occur. However, the organic surroundings (specifically the proteins) actually amplify the rate at which the reaction occurs. This is what lets tiny photons send signals to the photoreceptors in our eyes and what allows enzymes within our bodies to effectively catalyze reactions.
Quantum biology is still a very new field, with discoveries in the making. While some may claim it is a redundant field, the evidence of quantum processes within our own bodies proves otherwise. Quantum biology helps us understand biological processes that normal physics cannot. While we have yet to properly measure and observe them, many more biological processes likely rely on quantum tunneling. To fully understand the human body and our place in the universe, we have to understand how we work on a quantum level.
This goes to show that even though quantum physics is studied through particle accelerators and stars, it can still help us understand some of the more mundane phenomena in our everyday lives. The future of science relies on the use of new fields to fill in the blanks left by classical understanding.
About the Author
Jacob is a Junior at Northwood High School who enjoys playing the saxophone and learning new things. He hopes to study to become a particle physicist after graduation.
Sources:
Fleming, G. R., Scholes, G. D., & Cheng, Y. (2011). Quantum effects in biology. Procedia
Chemistry, 3(1), 38-57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proche.2011.08.011
Brookes, J. C. (2017). Quantum effects in biology: Golden rule in enzymes, olfaction,
photosynthesis and magnetodetection. Proceedings. Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences, 473(2201). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.2016.0822
The future of quantum biology | Royal Society. (n.d.). Royalsociety.org.
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