Question

How can light behave as both a wave and a particle?

A. It doesn't really.
B. It really is both a wave and a particle.
C. Light and small objects such as atoms behave in ways we never see in everyday objects, so we can't describe them in everyday terms.
D. This is what quantum mechanics describes.
E. C and D

Answer 1

Light has a dual character, showing wave-like properties in some experiments and particle-like properties, as photons, in others. This is known as wave-particle duality and is a central concept in quantum mechanics that's not fully understood.

Step-by-step explanation:

Light exhibits wave-particle duality, meaning it demonstrates both wave-like and particle-like properties, but these characteristics become evident in different experimental contexts. For example, when light passes through a double slit, it creates interference patterns which is a wave phenomenon, while the photoelectric effect reveals its particle aspect, known as photons. Due to the nature of quantum mechanics, it's not possible to observe both properties simultaneously, and even at the current level of scientific understanding, this duality of light continues to be a fundamental yet not entirely understood concept in physics.