• Question: An exclamation mark made me exclaim only when i read Quantum Physics. It puts forward the most bizarre predictions and that's why I like it. What important qualities or abilities should one have to become a Quantum physicist or even a physicist?

    Asked by rajathjackson to Chris, Dave, David, Fiona, Jack on 18 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: David Freeborn

      David Freeborn answered on 18 Jun 2013:

      Hi rajathjackson,

      Good question. I think quantum theory is really, really interesting too, which is why I spend every day working with it! The predictions are really bizarre, and the truth is, nobody yet really why it works in the way it does, even 100 years after its development.

      To become a Quantum Physicist, the most important thing is being good at maths. Because quantum physics is so different from the real world, the only way we can really express it, or to understand it, is through the language of mathematics. That’s a really important skill.

      You also need to be good at visualising things. If you can build a picture of what is going on in your head, it makes solving a lot of physics problems much easier. Imagination helps too- as Einstein said, imagination is maybe even more important than intelligence, if we’re going to solve our way through problems.

      But above all, the most important thing for any physicist (or any scientist) in any field, is enthusiasm!

    • Photo: Dave Farmer

      Dave Farmer answered on 19 Jun 2013:

      I’ll second David when he says maths is important. Until you can speak the language of physics, you can’t really get stuck into doing it properly.

      I think that enthusiasm is probably the single most important quality though. Unless you really want to be good at something as complex as quantum physics (or physics research in general), you are unlikely to excel.

      As long as you love what you’re doing, then the hard work it takes to get good at it doesn’t seem hard at all!

      Hope that helps

      Dave

    • Photo: Fiona Coomer

      Fiona Coomer answered on 19 Jun 2013:

      I don’t know specifically about quantum physics, but I would say that enthusiasm, dedication, the ability work hard both on your own and with others are all essential. Creativity and the ability to communicate your ideas well to others are also incredibly important, as you’ll need to be able to think up new ideas and tell others why they are so important. Without these skills, it doesn’t matter how good at maths are physics you are, your career is unlikely to progress very well. Good luck!

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