Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research

The Mind Blowing Wave Particle Duality of Light

J. E. Colwell, Adrienne Dove, James Cooney

Published Jan 1, 2021• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Light's odd way of behaving both like a particle and a wave is nothing new, but a cool new experiment shows that it's not an either/or but a continuum of gradations from wave to particle. The universe has some crazy stuff going on. We use the wave nature to take a look at an odd transient phenomenon at the core of the Milky Way and for Top quark to embarrass Strange quark at trivia.

Related papers

Wave–particle duality

Peter Gibbins

The simplest but deepest questions of the philosophy of quantum mechanics are these: Are quantum systems waves, or are they particles? Are they both or are they neither? When light bounces an electron out of the surface of an alkali metal it behaves like a particle. Light carries momentum but also a punch. Just as there is no such thing as half a punch, so there is no such thing as half a quantum of light. On the other hand, the shadow formed on a screen by an object has soft edges, edges which get softer as the object is moved away from the screen. Light exhibits the phenomena of diffraction and interference and so is wavelike. This dual behaviour of light, and indeed of matter itself, is called wave-particle duality. The wave nature of a quantum system is reflected in wave mechanics which assigns a wave-function to the system. But the dual nature of light was noticed before Schrodinger developed the wave-mechanical formalism in 1926. In fact, it goes back at least as far as Einsteins explanation of the photoelectric effect in 1905. Wave-particle duality is not something that arises within the quantum mechanical formalism. It is something which is expressed within it, and is something which is best discussed in terms of the paradoxes that quantum experiments force upon physics. In fact, the simplest and most immediately disturbing of the quantummechanical paradoxes arise out of wave-particle duality. We take the two-slit experiment and the delayed-choice experiment as examples.

Cambridge University Press eBooks•Sep 25, 1987•0 citations

A New Understanding of the Origin of Wave-Particle Duality in Quantum Mechanics

Wei Fan

The wave-particle duality of quantum mechanics has always been an unsolved problem in physics. This article attempts to use one of the properties to explain the other, so as to eliminate the confusion of quantum mechanics probability waves. Specifically, this article finds that the discreteness of energy is the inherent property of all waves, so this article explains the particle nature of light from the perspective of light wave, thereby eliminating the confusion of light’s wave-particle duality; in addition, this article found that microscopic matter particles are only suitable for discussing the number of scattered particles or energy flow density, not their position and momentum, when they are forced to discuss their position and momentum, it will inevitably lead to confusion about probability waves, when only discussing the number of scattered particles or energy flow density, its volatility can be explained from the perspective of particle nature, thereby eliminating the confusion of microscopic matter particle probability waves. When the attribute of light as a wave is established, the light needs to overcome the Hamiltonian of the medium in different constraint systems (gravitational fields) during the propagation process, which will produce a universal redshift phenomenon, this can provide a new understanding of cosmic redshift; when the property of light as a wave is established, it means that the speed of light is a constant speed relative to the medium, which can provide a new understanding of the principle of constant speed of light.

Reports in Advances of Physical Sciences•Mar 1, 2021•1 citation

Duality of Light and Matter

Z. Ficek

Arguments about particles or waves gave way to a recognized need for both particles and waves in the description of radiation. The confusion over particle versus wave properties was resolved by Louis de Broglie. He postulated that since light has a dual wave–particle nature, matter also has this nature. The idea was to perform a diffraction experiment with electrons. An interference pattern was demonstrated not only with electrons, but also with many kinds of material particles like protons and neutrons. However, any attempt to observe an interference pattern with neutral atoms was found difficult by the fact that atoms carried no charge as electrons do and could not penetrate through condensate matter like neutrons. The de Broglie wavelength of an electron in the smallest orbit turns out to be exactly equal to the circumference of the orbit predicted by Bohr. The interpretation of the interference phenomenon becomes more subtle when the light beams are replaced by individual photons or particles.

•Mar 3, 2017•0 citations

Dual Natures of Light and Electromagnetic Fields

Henok Tadesse

The wave-particle dual nature of light was discovered from experimental observations and from theoretical works of Max Planck and Albert Einstein during the beginning of the twentieth century. This paper reveals that wave-particle duality is just one aspect of the all dual nature of light (electromagnetic waves) and electromagnetic fields and that light and electromagnetic fields manifest dual natures in other ways also. For example, light is not only a local phenomenon as conventionally viewed, but also a non-local phenomenon. Light behaves both according to ether theory and emission theory. The speed of light is both constant (c) and variable ( c ± V). The phase velocity of light is independent of source and observer velocity and is always constant c, while the group velocity of light varies with observer velocity but is independent of source velocity. Light acts as if it travels both in a straight line and in curved path, at the same time! Electrostatic lines of force behave as if they are both straight and curved lines. Electrostatic fields behave as if they ‘propagate’ both at the speed of light and with infinite speed, at the same time! This paper is a summary of the findings reported in previous papers published by this author. An extensive theoretical research carried out by this author in an attempt to explain the Michelson-Morley experiment, the Sagnac effect and other light speed experiments led to uncovering of the broader and more fundamental nature of duality in electromagnetism.

•Aug 1, 2017•0 citations

Words about the Physics Philosophy

Mohamed Ashraf Farouk

In my previous articles, I showed that light (and consequently matter) does not have a dual "waveparticle" nature -In the present article nothing is new except my discussion for the consequences of applications of such false duality paradigm showing that quantum mechanics is not a valid way of thinking about the universe or about the nature of reality.

Research & Development in Material Science•Jun 3, 2022•0 citations

Electrons make waves

Akira Tonomura

At the atomic scale, the distinction between particles and waves breaks down. The realization, early in the twentieth century, that light consists of discrete packages, or “photons,” prompted the converse suggestion that particles could behave like waves. Confirmation of this idea came in 1927, from an experiment involving the scattering of electrons from a crystal. Today, “wave-particle duality” is central to quantum mechanics, and the wave properties of subatomic particles are widely used in microscopy and crystallography. Electron diffraction techniques are widely used to characterize atomic arrangements on solid surfaces and inside thin films, and to investigate the structures of molecules in gases. The dual nature of waves and particles is part of the “spookiness” of quantum mechanics, which cannot be explained in any classical way. It used to be that one could only imagine an experiment that would simultaneously demonstrate the particle and wave nature of electrons.

University of Chicago Press eBooks•Jan 1, 2003•0 citations
Light's odd way of behaving both like a particle and a wave is nothing new, but a cool new experiment shows that it's not an either/or but a continuum of gradations from wave to particle. The universe has some crazy stuff going on. We use the wave nature to take a look at an odd transient phenomenon at the core of the Milky Way and for Top quark to embarrass Strange quark at trivia.
The simplest but deepest questions of the philosophy of quantum mechanics are these: Are quantum systems waves, or are they particles? Are they both or are they neither? When light bounces an electron out of the surface of an alkali metal it behaves like a particle. Light carries momentum but also a punch. Just as there is no such thing as half a punch, so there is no such thing as half a quantum of light. On the other hand, the shadow formed on a screen by an object has soft edges, edges which get softer as the object is moved away from the screen. Light exhibits the phenomena of diffraction and interference and so is wavelike. This dual behaviour of light, and indeed of matter itself, is called wave-particle duality. The wave nature of a quantum system is reflected in wave mechanics which assigns a wave-function to the system. But the dual nature of light was noticed before Schrodinger developed the wave-mechanical formalism in 1926. In fact, it goes back at least as far as Einsteins explanation of the photoelectric effect in 1905. Wave-particle duality is not something that arises within the quantum mechanical formalism. It is something which is expressed within it, and is something which is best discussed in terms of the paradoxes that quantum experiments force upon physics. In fact, the simplest and most immediately disturbing of the quantummechanical paradoxes arise out of wave-particle duality. We take the two-slit experiment and the delayed-choice experiment as examples.
The wave-particle duality of quantum mechanics has always been an unsolved problem in physics. This article attempts to use one of the properties to explain the other, so as to eliminate the confusion of quantum mechanics probability waves. Specifically, this article finds that the discreteness of energy is the inherent property of all waves, so this article explains the particle nature of light from the perspective of light wave, thereby eliminating the confusion of light’s wave-particle duality; in addition, this article found that microscopic matter particles are only suitable for discussing the number of scattered particles or energy flow density, not their position and momentum, when they are forced to discuss their position and momentum, it will inevitably lead to confusion about probability waves, when only discussing the number of scattered particles or energy flow density, its volatility can be explained from the perspective of particle nature, thereby eliminating the confusion of microscopic matter particle probability waves. When the attribute of light as a wave is established, the light needs to overcome the Hamiltonian of the medium in different constraint systems (gravitational fields) during the propagation process, which will produce a universal redshift phenomenon, this can provide a new understanding of cosmic redshift; when the property of light as a wave is established, it means that the speed of light is a constant speed relative to the medium, which can provide a new understanding of the principle of constant speed of light.
Arguments about particles or waves gave way to a recognized need for both particles and waves in the description of radiation. The confusion over particle versus wave properties was resolved by Louis de Broglie. He postulated that since light has a dual wave–particle nature, matter also has this nature. The idea was to perform a diffraction experiment with electrons. An interference pattern was demonstrated not only with electrons, but also with many kinds of material particles like protons and neutrons. However, any attempt to observe an interference pattern with neutral atoms was found difficult by the fact that atoms carried no charge as electrons do and could not penetrate through condensate matter like neutrons. The de Broglie wavelength of an electron in the smallest orbit turns out to be exactly equal to the circumference of the orbit predicted by Bohr. The interpretation of the interference phenomenon becomes more subtle when the light beams are replaced by individual photons or particles.
The wave-particle dual nature of light was discovered from experimental observations and from theoretical works of Max Planck and Albert Einstein during the beginning of the twentieth century. This paper reveals that wave-particle duality is just one aspect of the all dual nature of light (electromagnetic waves) and electromagnetic fields and that light and electromagnetic fields manifest dual natures in other ways also. For example, light is not only a local phenomenon as conventionally viewed, but also a non-local phenomenon. Light behaves both according to ether theory and emission theory. The speed of light is both constant (c) and variable ( c ± V). The phase velocity of light is independent of source and observer velocity and is always constant c, while the group velocity of light varies with observer velocity but is independent of source velocity. Light acts as if it travels both in a straight line and in curved path, at the same time! Electrostatic lines of force behave as if they are both straight and curved lines. Electrostatic fields behave as if they ‘propagate’ both at the speed of light and with infinite speed, at the same time! This paper is a summary of the findings reported in previous papers published by this author. An extensive theoretical research carried out by this author in an attempt to explain the Michelson-Morley experiment, the Sagnac effect and other light speed experiments led to uncovering of the broader and more fundamental nature of duality in electromagnetism.
At the atomic scale, the distinction between particles and waves breaks down. The realization, early in the twentieth century, that light consists of discrete packages, or “photons,” prompted the converse suggestion that particles could behave like waves. Confirmation of this idea came in 1927, from an experiment involving the scattering of electrons from a crystal. Today, “wave-particle duality” is central to quantum mechanics, and the wave properties of subatomic particles are widely used in microscopy and crystallography. Electron diffraction techniques are widely used to characterize atomic arrangements on solid surfaces and inside thin films, and to investigate the structures of molecules in gases. The dual nature of waves and particles is part of the “spookiness” of quantum mechanics, which cannot be explained in any classical way. It used to be that one could only imagine an experiment that would simultaneously demonstrate the particle and wave nature of electrons.