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> One could retort to the original title saying all matter is, in fact, "quantum". Quantum matter has a specific meaning in condensed matter physics. It's any
by djaque 6y ago
> One could retort to the original title saying all matter is, in fact, "quantum".
Quantum matter has a specific meaning in condensed matter physics. It's anything where you can't approximate the system's behavior with classical physics at a macroscopic level. IE, the optical properties of metals are classical, but the electrical properties of topological insulators are not.
It is a bit like saying that all ecologists are chemists. Animals are, in fact, big sacks of chemicals, but that's not really the point.
- castratikron 6y agoSo is a permanent magnet also quantum matter? Classical physics says the net magnetization of a solid is zero.
- djaque 6y agoThat is a good point, because the way I was taught it is that ferromagnetism is one of the few purely quantum mechanical phenomena we see in everyday life. However, people don't really refer to it as "quantum matter". I think you could argue that people have had some sort of heuristic description since long before quantum was known about.