Wave Particle Duality

Wave Particle Duality 

The wave particle duality theory states that light behaves as a particle AND a wave at the same time. 

Light as a Wave

Interferance patterns produced by diffraction shows that light is a wave becuase in order for diffraction to occur, waves are required to superimpose to form those patterns. Particles can't superimpose in this way. Polarisation also show how light can behave as a wave 

Light as a Particle 

Max Planck suggested that light travels in quatised packets of energy calleld photons. Photons are massless and travel at the speed of light (3x10⁸) The energy of the photon is proportional to the frequency and are linked by this equation:

Energy of a Photon (in J) = Planck's Constant x Frequency(Hz) 

Planck's constant…