Showing light to be a particle question

In summary, a parent is seeking advice for their son's science project on the duality of light. The son already has a double slit experiment set up but the parent is wondering if there are other experiments he can add to show light as a particle. Previously, the son wrote a thesis for English class on the potential use of a black hole as a power source and the parent wants to continue supporting his interests. Suggestions include doing a photoelectric effect experiment to demonstrate light as a quantum particle and possibly using this effect to create a burglar alarm.
  • #1
cruxx
16
3
my son is going into 6th grade and will be doing a science project at some point in the year. he has decided to do it on the duality of light. he already has his double slit experiment set up .. i am wondering if there is some other experiment he can add to show light as a particle so he can have them side by side?

any help would be appreciated.. last year he wrote a thesis for english class on the possibility of using a mountain sized black hole as a power source via hawking radiation.. he's very smart and i want to keep encouraging him and sharing in his interests
 
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  • #2
hans broden said:
i am wondering if there is some other experiment he can add to show light as a particle so he can have them side by side?

he can do some 'photo electric effect' experiments in which bundles of photons hit a photosensitive material and can get some electrons out from it by sharing photon's energy and can check Einstein's photoelectric equations ,which shows light to be quantum particle called photons- to make it interesting he can use this effect to make Burgaler's alarm.
 
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Likes NihalRi
  • #3
A camera sensor works because light comes in photons. He could do something related to that perhaps.
 

Related to Showing light to be a particle question

1. How is light shown to be a particle?

Light is shown to be a particle through various experiments, such as the photoelectric effect and the Compton effect. These experiments demonstrated that light behaves like a stream of particles, known as photons, rather than a continuous wave.

2. What evidence supports the particle nature of light?

Aside from the experiments mentioned above, other evidence for the particle nature of light includes the observation of light's interaction with matter, such as the emission and absorption of specific wavelengths of light by atoms and molecules. Additionally, the concept of the photon has been successfully used to explain phenomena such as the photoelectric effect and the emission spectra of atoms.

3. Can light exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties?

Yes, light can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties, depending on the experiment or observation being conducted. This is known as the wave-particle duality of light, which is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics.

4. How does the particle nature of light relate to the speed of light?

The particle nature of light is closely related to its speed, as the speed of light is determined by the properties of photons. According to Einstein's theory of relativity, the speed of light is constant and is the maximum speed at which all particles, including photons, can travel.

5. How does the particle nature of light affect our understanding of the universe?

The particle nature of light, along with other particles and their interactions, is a crucial component of our understanding of the universe. It helps explain the behavior of matter and energy at the smallest scales, and is essential in fields such as quantum mechanics and particle physics. Additionally, the concept of the photon has led to technological advancements in fields such as telecommunications and solar energy.

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