B Quantum Physics and Atomic Physics

[Vectronix]

TL;DR Summary

What’s the difference?

I think Atomic physics gets into specific examples and experiments but I think I’m probably wrong. So, I have to ask, what is atomic physics and how is it different than quantum physics?

 

[hutchphd]

Quantum Physics (probably) governs the interaction of all things but is most evident for small objects. Atoms are small objects ubiquitous to us.

 

[robphy]

Possibly interesting reading

• "Rescuing Quantum Mechanics from Atomic Physics", 2002
  https://www.eftaylor.com/pub/RescuingQM.pdf
  from EF Taylor https://www.eftaylor.com/download.html

 

[DrClaude]

Quantum mechanics was originally developed to understand the structure of atoms, hence historically was also called atomic physics. QM has now evolved beyond considering only atoms, so atomic physics should be seen as a subtopic in the field of quantum mechanics.

Not that atoms play a very important role experimentally in testing many aspects of quantum mechanics.