Is a light wave composed of waves, photons or both?

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Homework Help Overview

The original poster questions whether a light wave is composed of waves, photons, or both, indicating a focus on the dual nature of light in the context of physics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the concept of wave-particle duality, with one noting the difficulty in accepting that light can be both a wave and a particle. Others reference the photoelectric effect as evidence of this duality, questioning how energy relates to frequency and photons.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different interpretations of light's dual nature. Some guidance has been offered regarding the relationship between energy, frequency, and photons, but no consensus has been reached.

Contextual Notes

Participants are grappling with the implications of wave-particle duality and the definitions of waves and photons in the context of light, indicating a need for further clarification on these concepts.

jasper10
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Homework Statement



Is a light wave composed of waves, photons or both?



The Attempt at a Solution

 
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It is difficult to accept, that the light wave is both wave and photons.

All particles can be considered both particles and waves.

ehild
 
But doesn't the photoelectric effect demonstrate the dualistic nature of waves, where the energy is proportional to the frequency of the wave, but the energy is supplied by the quantum packets or "photons"?
 
jasper10 said:
But doesn't the photoelectric effect demonstrate the dualistic nature of waves, where the energy is proportional to the frequency of the wave, but the energy is supplied by the quantum packets or "photons"?

The dualistic nature means that the same thing is wave and particle. So the energy is proportional to the frequency of the wave and the enerqy is supplied by a quantum packet.

ehild
 

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