Can you explain quantum mechanics to me

Quantum Physics in general is a study of the EXTREMELY large or the EXTREMELY small.

Quantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, is a branch of physics providing a mathematical description of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interaction of matter and energy.

From the definition above, you can see that we are talking about the extremely SMALL.

To explain it to a person like you (no offense) quantum mechanics is the study of subatomic particles, subatomic particles are what make up atoms and atoms make up molecules and molecules make up you:D It is very hard to study these type of things because A.They are very extremely small B.It will lead to even bigger questions as to what makes up those subatomic partices. And C. Funding for projects like these are very little since todays societys money goes into the government and everybody knows the government is poop.

'I think it is safe to say that no one understands quantum mechanics'. Richard Feynman If anyone understood QM it would be Richard Feynman, Nobel Prize winner Physics 1965, argubly the best quantum theorist of the last half of the 20th Century

Who needs fantasy, when they have Quantum Mechanics - Me

I find the best way to approach QM is: QM is like going to see a fantasy movie (Harry Potter, Twilight, Lord of the Rings, Underworld, etc). Though the movie involves a universe that has different rules from the universe we live in, we have no problem accepting witches, warlocks, hobbits, werewolves, vampires. We learn the rules and the movie makes perfect sense. (Quick: If you saw a person that sparkles in sunlight what is he or she? I bet you could answer without thinking about it. Though you know that people do not sparkle in sunlight. You know the rule, accept the rule, and apply the rule.) The thing about QM is, QM is real. The rules describe the sub-atomic world accurately. The rules are consistent and rational, BUT they are also illogical and counter intuitive. We must accept (like the movie) that the rules make sense in that world, even though that make no sense in the macro world of things larger than an atom.

We dont "understand" QM, we interpet it. That is we form mental pictures of what is going on and the pictures are weird because QM is weird. BUT, it is consistant. Review the classic QM experiments as Interpeted by the common interpetations. The 2 - Slit Experiment and Schrondinger's Cat. Everything you need to know is in those 2 experiments. They dont make sense but they work the same way every time they are tried.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-slit…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6d…