An ab initio model is one derived “from the beginning” using only fundamental laws of nature rather than experimental data or “tuned” parameters. Quantum physics is the primary ab initio model because it predicts material properties using only the Schrödinger equation and basic constants (like electron mass). Classical mechanics is technically ab initio because it starts from Newton’s Laws , though it often requires empirical inputs (like a specific friction coefficient) for real-world objects. Classical electromagnetism is also an ab initio model for the macroscopic world, as its “first principles” are the four Maxwell’s Equations, which entirely define how electric and magnetic fields are generated and interact without needing case-by-case experimental “hints.”