In physics, a quantum is the minimum amount of any physical entity involved in an interaction. Quantum is a discrete quantity of energy proportional in magnitude to the frequency of the radiation it represents. The fundamental notion that a property can be "quantized" is referred to as "the hypothesis of quantization". This means that the magnitude of the physical property can take on only discrete values consisting of integer multiples of one quantum. For example, a photon is a single quantum of light of a specific frequency. Similarly, the energy of an electron bound within an atom is quantized and can exist only in certain discrete values. Atoms and matter in general are stable because electrons can exist only at discrete energy levels within an atom. Quantization is one of the foundations of the much broader physics of quantum mechanics. Quantization of energy and its influence on how energy and matter interact is part of the fundamental framework for understanding and describing nature.

ಭೌತಶಾಸ್ತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ, ಕ್ವಾಂಟಮ್ ಒಂದು ಸಂವಹನದಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾಗಿಯಾದ ಯಾವುದೇ ಭೌತಿಕ ವಸ್ತುವಿನ ಕನಿಷ್ಠ ಪ್ರಮಾಣ. ಇದರ ಹಿಂದೆ, ಒಂದು ಭೌತಿಕ ಗುಣಲಕ್ಷಣವನ್ನು "ಪ್ರತ್ಯೇಕ ಮೌಲ್ಯಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನೋಡಬಹುದು" (ಕ್ವಾಂಟೈಜ಼್) ಎಂಬ ಮೂಲಭೂತ ಕಲ್ಪನೆ ಕಂಡುಬರುತ್ತದೆ, ಇದನ್ನು "ಕ್ವಾಂಟೀಕರಣದ ಊಹಾಸಿದ್ಧಾಂತ" ಎಂದು ನಿರ್ದೇಶಿಸಲಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಇದರ ಅರ್ಥ ಪ್ರಮಾಣವು ನಿರ್ದಿಷ್ಟ ಪ್ರತ್ಯೇಕ ಮೌಲ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ಮಾತ್ರ ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳಬಹುದು.