This work aims to provide new introduction to the particle swarm optimization methods using a formal analogy with physical systems. By postulating that the swarm motion behaves similar to both classical and quantum particles, we establish a direct connection between what are usually assumed to be separate fields of study, optimization and physics. Within this framework, it becomes quite natural to derive the recently introduced quantum PSO algorithm from the Hamiltonian or the Lagrangian of the dynamical system. The physical theory of the PSO is used to suggest some improvements in the...