quantize

quan·tize   (kwŏn'tīz')    tr.v.   quan·tized, quan·tiz·ing, quan·tiz·es Physics To limit the possible values of (a magnitude or quantity) to a discrete set of values by quantum mechanical rules. To apply quantum mechanics or the quantum theory to. quan'ti·za'tion (-tĭ-zā'shən) n.

Main Entry: quan·tize
Variant: also British quan·tise /'kwänt-"tIz/
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms:quan·tized also British quan·tised; quan·tiz·ing also British quan·tis·ing
1 : to subdivide(as energy) into small but measurable increments
2 : to calculate or express in terms of quantum mechanics —quan·ti·za·tion also British quan·ti·sa·tion /"kwän-t&-'zA-sh&n/ noun —quan·tiz·er also British quan·tis·er /'kwän-"tI-z&r/ noun

quantize   (kwŏn'tīz')  Pronunciation Key  To limit a variable or variables describing a physical system to discrete, distinct values. For example, the energy of electromagnetic radiation such as light at a given frequency must be an integer multiple of hν, where ν is the frequency and h is a Planck's constant; electromagnetic energy is thus inherently quantized (in this case, photons are the quanta of energy). The distinct orbitals of electrons in an atom are also a case of quantized energy. Many apparently continuous phenomena turn out to be quantized at a very fine level or very small scale; quantum mechanics was developed in large part to explain many unexpected cases of quantization in the natural world.