Physics
Wave-Particle Duality
Quick fact
Light behaves as both a wave and a particle—this duality was confirmed by experiments like the double-slit test in the early 20th century.
Why this is interesting
You've seen light bend around corners, but did you know it can also act like a tiny particle? This strange behavior is at the heart of quantum physics.
Read the full explanation
Understanding Wave-Particle Duality
Imagine light as something that can act like a wave, spreading out smoothly, but also like a particle, which is a tiny 'packet' of energy. This dual nature means it can show interference patterns (like waves) and also be detected as individual particles in experiments.
A deeper explanation
Wave-particle duality shows that entities such as photons or electrons don't strictly follow the rules of classical physics. Instead, their behavior depends on how they're observed—sometimes acting like waves, sometimes like particles. This principle underpins quantum mechanics and explains phenomena from light's color to atomic structure.