The Double-Slit Experiment: How Light Behaves Like a Particle and a Wave
The Double-Slit Experiment is one of the most iconic experiments in physics. It demonstrates the wave-particle duality of light, which means that light can behave as both a particle and a wave. The experiment was first performed in the early 1800s by Thomas Young, but its implications are still being explored today. The experiment involves shining a beam of light through a double-slit barrier and observing the resulting pattern on a screen behind the barrier. When the light is observed at the screen, it appears as a series of bright and dark bands. This is known as an interference pattern and can only be explained by the wave-like behavior of light. However, when individual photons are detected as they pass through the slits, they behave like particles, with each photon creating a dot on the screen. This strange behavior of light has fascinated scientists for centuries and has led to many new discoveries in physics. The double-slit experiment is now used to study other particles as wel...