What is light?

[mnorian]

Hi all;
I was watching an old show by James May on the nature of light. He gave the two theories: is it a particle or a wave; or both at the same time?

When I was in college many years ago; I looked into this; but never could decide which it was.

If you are bored to tears about questions like this; I'm sorry. But as James May said: "is God just having fun with us; in the way he made light work?"

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

 

[Ophiolite]

It behaves as particles under one set of circumstances and as a wave under other circumstances. What do you find challenging about that? It's just a variation of the three blind men and the elephant.

 

[Speedwell]

Hi all;
I was watching an old show by James May on the nature of light. He gave the two theories: is it a particle or a wave; or both at the same time?

When I was in college many years ago; I looked into this; but never could decide which it was.

If you are bored to tears about questions like this; I'm sorry. But as James May said: "is God just having fun with us; in the way he made light work?"

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

It just means that our cognitive models of "wave" and "particle" are neither one fully descriptive of what light actually is.

 

[mnorian]

Up-date. I just found this article on phys.org about this experiment by EPFL; a research institute and university in Lausanne, Switzerland:

"While this phenomenon shows the wave-like nature of light, it simultaneously demonstrated its particle aspect as well. As the electrons pass close to the standing wave of light, they "hit" the light's particles, the photons. As mentioned above, this affects their speed, making them move faster or slower. This change in speed appears as an exchange of energy "packets" (quanta) between electrons and photons. The very occurrence of these energy packets shows that the light on the nanowire behaves as a particle.


"This experiment demonstrates that, for the first time ever, we can film quantum mechanics– and its paradoxical nature – directly," says Fabrizio Carbone. In addition, the importance of this pioneering work can extend beyond fundamental science and to future technologies. As Carbone explains: "Being able to image and control quantum phenomena at the nanometer scale like this opens up a new route towards quantum computing."

https://phys.org/news/2015-03-particle.html

Then it is both; at the same time.

 

[Tinker Grey]

Wavicle: https://www.google.com/search?q=wav...ft:en-US:IE-Address&ie=&oe=#spf=1567444519281

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

Then it is both; at the same time.

That's like saying a cylinder is both a circle and a rectangle at the same time.

 

[mnorian]

That's like saying a cylinder is both a circle and a rectangle at the same time.

Yes; that's right. A cylinder's "shape" is a circle and a rectangle; it all depends how you look at it:

 

[danielmears]

Hi all;
I was watching an old show by James May on the nature of light. He gave the two theories: is it a particle or a wave; or both at the same time?

When I was in college many years ago; I looked into this; but never could decide which it was.

If you are bored to tears about questions like this; I'm sorry. But as James May said: "is God just having fun with us; in the way he made light work?"

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

Perhaps He is giving us a clue. God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5 Also in the Transfiguration we see this light. As the son of a literally illumined minister who became illumined while on a spiritual quest away from the ministry; he was trying to love others, be filled with love, doing what Christ said. I was visiting while on leave from the Army when this occured and witnessed this marvelous light. So I know, the light referred to in multiple verses is not simply a metaphor but actual light, probably the same light as in the Transfiguration. Faith, seems to work quantumly, it appears supernatural to us bringing powerful results from the unseen to the seen but perhaps it is quite natural. Thought moves in the unseen manifesting in the seen this we know because Christ tells us over and over. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Matt.12:35 For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Matt. 12:37 There are also many passages on faith and believing but the light is very wonderous!

 

[Ophiolite]

Yes; that's right. A cylinder's "shape" is a circle and a rectangle; it all depends how you look at it:

View attachment 262267

I believe I said that in post #2. You are welcome.

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

Yes; that's right. A cylinder's "shape" is a circle and a rectangle; it all depends how you look at it:

View attachment 262267

The point is that its shape is cylindrical, with rectangular and circular aspects.

 

[essentialsaltes]

It's a quantum object. It's both.

 

[JIMINZ]

The light that can be quantified as either Particle or Wave by man, is only found in the Physical Realm, ie, that which was Created by God, and fall into the Laws which govern His Creation , such as Gravity.

Whereas, the Light that God is cannot be quantified because, it is only found in the Spiritual Realm, it is What He is, as well as Who He is.

 

[Kylie]

Yes; that's right. A cylinder's "shape" is a circle and a rectangle; it all depends how you look at it:

View attachment 262267

But it's not a circle, and it's not a rectangle, not at any time.

However, it can sometimes behave as though it were.

And, in the same way, light is not a particle and it's not a wave, but sometimes it can behave as though it's a particle and sometimes it can act as though it's a wave.

 

[Smithi]

A feather?