dr-quantum 8 years ago
quantum explorer #Quantum Mechanics

Quantum Theory Made Easy | 01 - The Duality of Light

“Quantum Theory Made Easy,” a series in which the concepts of quantum physics are broken down for layaudiences in a more digestable manner. More in-depth than most presentations for laypersons, but without the mathematical rigour needed by a specialist in the field.

So, you've heard that light is a wave/particle. Now you get to find out how we know this!


In this episode, we’ll be discussing the dual nature of light, starting with a brief overview of how light was determined to be an electromagnetic wave and what properties light was classically associated with. From there, we’ll present the results of Planck’s blackbody experiments and introduce the concept of quantization, which was how this whole quantum mess was started in the first place. After explaining how the quantum of action (h) works, we’ll move on to how it showed up in experiments that challenged the wave picture of light, and how Einstein, bremsstrahlung, and Compton, made it clear that light can behave like a particle.


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Best of Science

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Dr. Quantum