Question:
is light considered a wave or particle?
illproducers
2006-07-20 03:35:39 UTC
is light considered a wave or particle?
Ten answers:
Mia
2006-07-20 03:38:30 UTC
Both.

In mechanical quantum (a study of things in atomic level) there is something that is called "wave-particle duality" (or so i remember). Light acts in certain ways, and some acts can only be explained if it is considered a wave, and some acts can only be explained if it is considered a particle. Actually, not only light (photon) that have the wave-particle duality, but also things that we thought an absolute particle. All electrons, neutrons, protons etc have that duality. That means, all stuff that we see and touch such as wood, metal, water, etc have that duality, which means they have some wave characteristics.

If you want to know more, you can search for further explanation.
tupper
2016-12-02 04:45:12 UTC
before each and everything, mild *is* an electromagnetic field. it is the interplay between the electric powered and magnetic parts that allow the mild to propagate in a vacuum. next, mild, like quite a few issues on the quantum element is both a particle and a wave. better specially, it truly is a probability wave the position the prospect is of detection of a particle. The wave nature shows up in such issues as interference fringes and diffraction kinds. there is also a wavelength and frequency linked with it. in spite of the indisputable fact that, if the intensity is amazingly low, only individual photons will be detected. Even nevertheless, the interference kinds will improve over the years. i'd ought to talk about that electrons have this similar sources of being both a wave and a particle. We commonly imagine of electrons as debris, yet in addition they tutor interference kinds with constructive and unfavorable interference. This actual shows an underlying solidarity in ALL regularly happening debris: all of them tutor both wave and particle homes with the wave being a probability wave.
laclockiecelestialle
2006-07-20 03:43:33 UTC
Light has a dual nature.



It behaves as particles sometimes, as shown by the phenomena of Black Body Radiation and Photo Electric Effect, the experiments by J.J. Thompson and Mullikan and the scintillation produced when an electron strikes a ZnS screen.



It also behaves as a particle and shown by Davisson and Germer's Experiments of electron diffraction using a nickel crystal, and Goldstein's electron diffraction using a gold foil.



This might also be interesting: from http://www.thespectroscopynet.com/Educational/wave_particle_duality.htm









Is light a wave or a particle? The apparent dual nature of light is easily demonstrated:



1. Stand outside in the sun. The shadow your body makes in sunlight suggests that light travels in straight lines from the sun and is blocked by your body. In this, light behaves like a collection of particles fired from the sun.



2. Place two sheets of glass together with a little water between them. With care, you will see fringes. These are formed by the interference of waves.



In 1925, our understanding of light seemed to have come to an impasse. Particle theory could explain reflection and refraction, and recent experiments in radiation (such as the radiation from hot bodies and the Compton experiment with X-rays). And wave theory could explain the interference and polarization of light which particle theory could not. Thus simple and sophisticated experiments both indicated that light could be a particle sometimes and a wave at others.



Albert Einstein (1924) expressed the dilemma:



There are therefore now two theories of light, both indispensable, and - as one must admit today in spite of twenty years of tremendous effort on the part of theoretical physicists - without any logical connections.(1)

The dilemma prompted Neils Bohr (1928) to offer his 'complementarity principle': that particle theory and wave theory were equally valid. Scientists should simply chose whichever theory worked better in solving their problem. While it got physics out of its immediate hole, coming from someone as important in modern physics as Bohr, it gained a dominance in physics teaching probably never intended.



Over the succeeding years, the currently accepted solution came in the form of the 'quantised electromagnetic field theory', i.e. 'quantum electrodynamics' (QED). The theory merges particle and wave properties into a unified whole. Despite this, the undergraduate physics of light is still often taught as separate chapters on particles and waves with little or no attempt to give an overall understanding of how this can be so. The complementarity principle is still used in books on optics to justify the use of wave theory to explain interference, polarization, diffraction, etc. The student is then left with the impression either that we do not really understand the true nature of light or that physics is simply a collection of tools for solving problems.
neha c
2006-07-20 05:44:36 UTC
Light has dual nature i.e. sometimes it is considered as wave & some time as particle. Wave nature lead Huygen to create wave optics in which different phenomenons are studied like as Intereference and Diffraction phenomenon. While it was particle nature which lead to invention of mirrors, lenses and telescopes and explained certain phenomenon like Mirage and working of optical fibers.
Grendle
2006-07-20 04:29:06 UTC
Both and neither and something else entirely.

Seriously, you takes your discipline (particle physics, quantum physics, engineering, whatever) and you gets your answer.

It is a particle, with mass even. It can impact, provide newtonian thrust, be attracted and repelled and captured.

It is a wave, it has frequency, it can be modulated, and it can be guided.

It is something that will blind you and burn you and make you dead (which our military is working on right now).

So Light, like matter itself, is a mystery.

If you can get THE definitive answer, apply for your doctorate directly.
2006-07-20 03:37:42 UTC
Particles in wave form.
lukkachuppi
2006-07-20 06:13:05 UTC
both as a wave and particle (dual nature of light).

at atomic level it acts as a particle and at macroscopic level as a wave
Scorpion
2006-07-20 03:38:56 UTC
Light is a part of intermittent (say-photon or quantum) group of oscillating magnetic lines (OML) moving in space with the velocity of 300000km/second. Actually no particle is moving but it is only the line- up of the ether magnetic particles and becomes a magnetic line, and this magnetic lines oscillating with the frequency of the oscillating electron which makes the magnetic line. The velocity of light refers that, the time taken for line- up of the ether magnetic particles up to 300000km in empty space is one second. The speed, bending of light near a massive object or refraction of the light is depending on the number of the free ether magnetic particles and the density of the ether magnetic particle medium. If light passes through a rare medium to a denser medium or a denser medium to rare medium, the light will be refracted. Near a massive object like Sun, light will be bended because of the density of ether magnetic particle is higher at the surface of the Sun than the outer space, and it only is the refraction of light. (but not with the gravitational force exerted on light quanta from the sun. Light is not a particle. The velocity of light is independent from the light source. The velocity of the line- up of the ether magnetic particles depends only on the ether magnetic particle medium. We can calculate the amount of bending, if we know the mass of the object, space producing rate( quantity of mass disappeared /second )and volume of the object).



Electron has magnetic property and polarity, north and south poles. In an ordinary temperature the inner orbital electron of an atom oscillate in its orbit at its natural frequency, but the amplitude of the oscillation will be extremely small and it will not radiate OMLs in a detectable intensity. The natural frequency of the most outer orbital electrons will be in micro wave frequency region and a substance in a very cold temperature (a few Kelvins )emits microwaves. So a few Kelvins of temperature is sufficient for the oscillation of the outer orbital electrons of a substance.



When the electrons passing through a solenoid, all the 'electrons magnets' are aligned and the whole solenoid becomes a single large magnet. In a permanent magnet, the whole domains are aligned and becomes a large single magnet. A magnetic pole has a large number of magnetic lines. This magnetic lines are made of a very large number of tiny small ether magnets. I call this magnet "ether magnetic particle."
Thermo
2006-07-20 04:13:06 UTC
Both.

Considering shadow, lenses and mirrors, (very narrow) splits you consider light as a wave.

With photo electric effect and push to comet's tails you consider light as particles (photons)
2006-07-20 03:37:40 UTC
neither light is a beam


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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