Wave–particle duality

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Wave–particle duality is the quantum-mechanical concept that entities such as photons and electrons can exhibit wave-like or particle-like properties depending on the experimental arrangement. Neither classical category by itself fully describes quantum objects.

Wave behaviour appears in interference and diffraction, where probabilities are distributed according to wave-like amplitudes and phases. Particle behaviour appears when energy, momentum, or matter is detected in discrete, localised events.

The idea developed as experiments showed that light, long understood as a wave, also transfers energy and momentum in discrete photons. Conversely, electrons and other forms of matter, initially treated as particles, were shown to produce diffraction and interference patterns.

Modern quantum mechanics does not regard an object as switching between an ordinary classical wave and an ordinary classical particle. Instead, a quantum state is described mathematically and produces different observable features depending on how it is prepared and measured.

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• Source / publisher: Wikipedia
• URL type: WWW
• Credits: Wikipedia
• URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave–particle_duality