Optics 500 Practice Exam: Prep, Questions, and Study Guide

Light exhibits both particle and wave properties through phenomena such as interference and diffraction, in addition to existing as discrete packets of energy known as photons.

Interference occurs when two waves overlap, resulting in a new wave pattern characterized by regions of constructive and destructive interference. This wave-like behavior is evident in experiments such as the double-slit experiment, where light creates a pattern of bright and dark fringes on a screen, demonstrating its wave nature.

Diffraction is another wave phenomenon where light bends around obstacles or spreads out after passing through narrow openings, further supporting the wave model of light.

Simultaneously, light also exhibits particle characteristics, particularly through the concept of photons—quantum particles of light. This particle aspect helps explain phenomena such as the photoelectric effect, where light can eject electrons from a material.

The question’s chosen answer effectively captures this duality, acknowledging that both wave behaviors (interference and diffraction) and particulate properties (photons) coexist in the nature of light, thereby illustrating the fundamental principle of wave-particle duality in quantum mechanics.