What is light made of: waves or particles? This basic question has fascinated physicists since the early days of science. Quantum mechanics predicts that photons, particles of light, are both ...

The double-slit experiment is one of the most famous experiments in physics and definitely one of the weirdest. It demonstrates that matter and energy (such as light) can exhibit both wave and ...

Does light behave more like a particle, or like a wave? Today we know the surprising answer. Here's why it took so long to get there. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an ...

According to quantum mechanics, the physics theory that describes the zoo of subatomic particles, all matter can be described as both particles and waves. But is it real? When you purchase through ...

Introduction You may have heard that light consists of particles called photons. How could something as simple as light be made of particles? Physicists describe light as both a particle and a wave.

Light’s dual nature, manifesting as both wave-like and particle-like behaviour, is a phenomenon known as wave-particle duality and remains one of the most perplexing mysteries in quantum mechanics.

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Scientists have long known that light can behave as both a particle ...

Humans have problems with quantum mechanics. We have excellent intuition about the motion of a tennis ball tossed in the air, but what about an electron trapped in a box? The tendency is to use the ...

Quantum mechanics has a concept called a “wave function.” It’s incredibly important because it holds all the measurable information about a particle (or group of particles) within it. In practice, the ...

Photon duality remains a paradox because the photon is regarded as a simple, unitary object in space. Equally bad, massless radiation is interpreted via concepts drawn from mass-based physics. The ...